Changes in the floristic composition of cerrado sensu stricto in Brazil over a nine-year period

• Published in: Journal of tropical ecology Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 579 - 590
• Main Authors: Felfili, Jeanine Maria, Rezende, Alba Valéria, Júnior, Manoel Cláudio Da Silva, Silva, Marco Aurélio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Cambridge University Press 01-07-2000
• Subjects: America; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Cerrado; Chorology; Demecology; diversity; floristics; Forest ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Mortality; Ordination; permanent plots; Plant cytology, morphology, systematics, chorology and evolution; Plant ecology; Plants and fungi; savanna; Stems; structure; Tropical forests; Vegetation; Vegetation structure; Woody plants; South America; Brazil; America; diversity; cerrado; savanna; Brazil; floristics; permanent plots; structure; Basal area; Floristic composition; Savannah; Plant community; Tropical zone; Tropical forest; Biodiversity; Vegetation structure; Time variation; Canopy fire; Species richness
• ISSN: 0266-4674; 1469-7831
• DOI: 10.1017/S0266467400001589

Changes in floristic composition and structure in a cerrado sensu stricto area were studied over a 9-y period. A sample of 19 (20-m × 50-m) permanent plots was assessed at 3-y intervals from 1985 to 1994, when all stems ≥ 5 cm at 0.30 m above the ground level were measured. There was little change in species composition over the period. Changes in density and basal area of the whole community were in the range of 5% over the 9 y. These parameters fluctuated over the years with the greatest differences found in the comparisons of 1991, 2 y after an accidental fire reached the site, with other years. The changes in density and basal area were greater than in several tropical forests, probably due to disturbances such as fire occurring at 3 to 5-y intervals. The nearly constant density and basal area suggested a highly resilient community.