Structure of pond vegetation of a vereda in the Brazilian Cerrado

• Autor(a) principal: Moreira,Suzana Neves
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Pott,Arnildo, Pott,Vali Joana, Damasceno-Junior,Geraldo Alves
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Rodriguésia (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2175-78602011000400721
• topic: aquatic macrophytes; aquatic vegetation; phytosociology; temporary pond

Abstract This is the first report on aquatic macrophytes in ponds of veredas (palm swamps) in the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna). We studied a pond in a vereda in Terenos, Mato Grosso do Sul state, central-western Brazil, during drought and flood periods to assess plant community structure and the relationship between species distribution and water depth. Sampling was carried out in five permanent transects, along which we placed sampling units of 1 m2 quadrats every 5 m. We estimated visually the relative cover of each species, bare ground, dead matter, and exposed water. We also measured water depth. We recorded 77 species of 49 genera and 31 families. The number of species varied between seasons, and in the rainy season the amphibious life form was predominant. The richest families were Poaceae (15 species), Cyperaceae (11), Asteraceae (4) and Lentibulariaceae (4). The richest genera were Rhynchospora (4), Utricularia (4), Eleocharis (4), Aeschynomene (3), Bacopa (3), Ludwigia (3) and Panicum (3). We found six new occurrences for the cerrado. Eleocharis acutangula had the highest relative cover (rainy and dry seasons), followed by Bacopa reflexa (rainy season), Paspalum lenticulare (rainy and dry seasons), Leersia hexandra (rainy and dry seasons), and Sagittaria rhombifolia (rainy season). Some species were distributed mainly at shallower depths, others occurred in deeper water, whereas some species varied greatly in terms of depth. Heliotropium filiforme and Ludwigia nervosa were found only in the dry season. In the rainy season, as expected, the exclusive species were mostly true aquatics.