Patterns of biodiversity in neotropical dry forests and savannas : case studies from Brazil, Peru and Belize

• Main Author: Bridgewater, Samuel George Martin
• Published: University of Edinburgh 2004
• Subjects: 634.9
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.641939

South American savannas and seasonally dry topical forests (SDTFs) are two widespread and biologically important vegetation formations which can be highly species-rich (such as the cerrado tree savanna of Central Brazil) and which can show high degrees of endemism (such as the dry forests of northern Peru). Both savannas and SDTFs are highly threatened by agricultural development. Of critical importance in ensuring the protection of their biodiversity is the establishment of reserve areas. However, conservation planning is currently hindered by the lack of base-line floristic data. This work provides floristic data for three areas of priority conservation importance in the Neotropics and examines the patterns of diversity within them. The areas are (i) the cerrado biome of Brazil; (ii) the SDTFs of Peru; (iii) the savannas of Belize. For the cerrado biome, this study also investigates whether diversity patterns are similar to those recently proposed for Neotropical rainforests. A morphological and biogeographic study of the Acosmium dasycarpum complex was undertaken to resolve the taxonomic uncertainties relating to its putative subspecies.