Caracterização funcional de espécies vegetais em duas veredas sob diferentes níveis de secamento

Abstract

The veredas are being modified by anthropic interventions, which lead to their mischaracterization. The impact of drying causes changes in species composition, in addition to compromising the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem services. To understand how drying can affect the functioning of the veredas environment, it is necessary to understand the diversity of the functional characteristics of the species present in this environment. Functional characteristics are important tools to assess changes in environments where species are present. Functional characteristics reflect the ecological strategies of species in the environment. A bibliographic survey was carried out on the attributes of the species occurring in two veredas under different water conditions, a preserved vereda (Almescla) and a dry vereda (Peruaçu). Through this survey, the species were classified according to specific leaf area, wood density and maximum height, seed length, petiole length, dispersion syndrome and leaf deciduousness. The species were selected through phytosociological studies, the species with the highest IVI. To evaluate the relationship between the attributes of the species studied in the two paths, NMDS was used. Linear models were also built using the paths as explanatory variables and the analyzed attributes of the species as response variables. The study areas present species with different characteristics related to the evaluated attributes. The vereda drying plant species with predominance of conservative characteristics. In relation to wood density, the two veredas had a similar number of species with all densities. In both veredas there are species of other vegetation types of the cerrado, which is more marked in the dry vereda. Water availability may act as an environmental filter, interfering in the abundance and richness of species, and consequently, in the functional characteristics. The loss and replacement of species with an acquisitive strategy for those with a conservative strategy will lead to important changes, altering the ecosystem services provided.