Vascular epiphytic component in an urban forest fragment in Criciuma, Santa Catarina, Brazil

• Main Authors: Telma Elyta Vilhalba Azeredo, Emilaine Biava Dalmolin, Peterson Teodoro Padilha, Lislaine Cardoso de Oliveira, Vanilde Citadini-Zanette
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina 2013-06-01
• Series: Biotemas
• Subjects: Dense ombrophilous forest; Floristic; Phytosociology
• Online Access: http://www.biotemas.ufsc.br/volumes/pdf/volume262/33-44.pdf

This study aimed to conduct a floristic and phytosociological survey, as well as analyze the spatial distribution of the vascular epiphytic component in an urban forest fragment belonging to the submontane dense ombrophilous forest in the town of Criciuma, Santa Catarina, Brazil. In addition, information on the ecological groups of epiphytic species and the strategies for pollination and dispersal were also presented. One sampled 60 trees as phorophytes with DBH ≥ 10 cm, through the point-centered quarter method, and the expeditious walking method was used for recording the epiphytic species which weren’t sampled in the phorophytes through the phytosociological method. The frequency was evaluated having the occurrence of epiphytes in the phorophytes and the segments on the bole and crown as a basis. One recorded the presence of epiphytes in the phorophytes in the segments on the bole and crown. One found 65 species distributed into 39 genera and 14 families, out of which 49 were sampled in the phytosociological survey and the remaining ones in the walking survey. Bromeliaceae showed the highest richness, followed by Orchidaceae, and Cactaceae. Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L. was firstly mentioned in the southern state. The specific diversity was estimated as H’ = 3.33 and evenness (E) was equal to 0.86. The ecological group of holoepiphytes was the most representative one in the area under study. Entomophily and anemochory were the prevailing strategies for pollination and dispersal, respectively. In the phytosociological survey, the number of epiphytic species in the phorophytes ranged from 0 to 21. The highest importance values were those related to Rhipsalis teres (Vell.) Steud. and Microgramma vacciniifolia (Langsd. & Fisch.) Copel.