Floristic composition and distribution of vascular epiphytes in an altered fragment of Seasonal Semideciduous Forest in Paraná State, Brazil

Abstract

Studies in several areas of the world have been demonstrating that important elements of tropical forests like vascular epiphytes show relevant modifications according to the degree of interference on the structure of the forests. This study aims to rise and analyze the distribution of the vascular epiphytes of the Parque do Ingá (Maringá, PR) as well as to verify the existence of changes in this plant group in altered areas along the fragment. In qualitative study, 29 species of vascular epiphytes were registered, belonging to the families Bromeliaceae (7), Cactaceae (6), Polypodiaceae (4), Viscaceae (4), Orchidaceae (3), Araceae (2), Piperaceae (2) and Commelinaceae (1). Most of the species is holoepiphytes and the anemochory and endozoochory are predominant dispersion syndromes. In quantitative study, 22 species were showed. Considering the value of epiphytic importance, the most important families are Polypodiaceae, Cactaceae and Bromeliaceae. They occupy preferentially loud trunk and the top trees. The Shannon diversity index for the Parque do Ingá was of 1,106. In the zoning areas of the park there is a differentiated distribution of the epiphytic species, according to humidity and offer of light and in the areas with larger antropic impact the richness of species was low, confirming previous studies in other areas of tropical forests.