EXTENDING THE LIMITS OF CAMPOS RUPESTRES IN BRAZIL

• Published in: Caminhos de Geografia
• Main Authors: de Queiroz, Rubens Teixeira, de Souza, Bartolomeu Israel, Souza, José João Lelis Leal, de Medeiros, Joseilsom Ramos, da Fonseca, Christianne Farias, Cardoso, Eini Celly Morais
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: EDUFU - Editora da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia 2021
• Subjects: Semiarid climate; Dry florests; Borborema province; Edaphology; Umbrisols. Water storage capacity; Alta; Solos’
• Online Access: https://seer.ufu.br/index.php/caminhosdegeografia/article/view/55806; https://doi.org/10.14393/RCG228255806

Campos rupestres are typical ecosystems of rock outcrops with high biodiversity and endemism, located in Brazilian territory, with vegetation analogous in Africa and Australia. The campos rupestres cover deeply dystrophic soils on highlands inserted in Amazon rainforest, Atlantic rainforest and Cerrado biomes. Despite recognition of campos rupestres as a global biodiversity hotspot, little is known its occurrence in dry forests. So, this work aimed to describe vegetable cover and soil properties in highlands associated to rock outcrops on Caatinga biome. A pristine area in Borborema plateau was chosen as study area. Frequency of species and life forms indicate high vegetable density and herbaceous habits predominance. Although the high similarity of species with Caatinga biome, presence of Albizia, Dalbergia, Poecilanthe e Platymiscium indicates a truly distinct floristic composition. Soils are shallower, less fertile and has lower water storage capacity than predominant soils in Caatinga. This work reveals the presence of campos rupestres beyond the areas previously considered favorable to its presence, extending its occurrence to regions of lower precipitation. The occurrence of the campos rupestres is attributed to an additional supply of water from fog in consonance with organic soils. Therefore, areas with similar characteristics should be prioritized to be preserved. Campos rupestres são ecossistemas típicos de afloramentos rochosos com alta biodiversidade e endemismo, localizados no território brasileiro, com vegetação análoga na África e Austrália. Os campos rupestres cobrem solos profundamente distróficos em terras altas inseridas nas florestas da Amazônia, Mata Atlântica e biomas do Cerrado. Apesar do reconhecimento dos campos rupestres como hotspot da biodiversidade global, pouco se sabe sobre sua ocorrência em florestas secas. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo descrever a cobertura vegetal e as propriedades do solo em terras altas associadas a afloramentos rochosos no bioma Caatinga. Uma área ...