{"title":"Ecological inferences in Orchidaceae species from the Brazilian subtropical Atlantic Forest based on morphological and functional anatomical traits","authors":"Débora Marcília Moreira, Lizandra Boff, Guilherme de Almeida Caputti Araújo, Shirley Martins Silva","doi":"10.1016/j.flora.2024.152558","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ecological anatomy studies seek to link structural aspects to environmental pressures, improving knowledge about the occurrence and distribution of species. Orchidaceae is a group with high species richness and ecological diversity, well represented in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a biodiversity hotspot. The Iguaçu National Park (ParNa Iguaçu) is an important remnant of the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest with a high richness of Orchidaceae. Given the family's diversity and the relevance of ecological anatomy studies for interpreting traits associated with the survival of plants in certain environments, we studied 38 species of Orchidaceae from ParNa Iguaçu, seeking to identify possible functional groups. For this, we surveyed 57 leaf morpho-anatomical characters and conducted histochemical and statistical tests. The morpho-anatomical traits group the species into two functional groups, with <em>Cyclopogon congestus</em> emerging isolated. In group A, xeromorphic morphoanatomical characters predominate, and group B combines members with <em>meso</em>/hygromorphic characteristics. We advocate the importance of understanding the ecological behavior of species, especially Orchidaceae, due to their important ecological role, in conservation actions in protected areas. Furthermore, our results highlight the morphological and anatomical diversity of the Orchidaceae found in ParNa Iguaçu, as well contributing to the development of better management practices for these plants, considering the threats posed by the opening of clearings and climate change.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55156,"journal":{"name":"Flora","volume":"317 ","pages":"Article 152558"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Flora","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0367253024001117","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ECOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Ecological anatomy studies seek to link structural aspects to environmental pressures, improving knowledge about the occurrence and distribution of species. Orchidaceae is a group with high species richness and ecological diversity, well represented in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a biodiversity hotspot. The Iguaçu National Park (ParNa Iguaçu) is an important remnant of the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest with a high richness of Orchidaceae. Given the family's diversity and the relevance of ecological anatomy studies for interpreting traits associated with the survival of plants in certain environments, we studied 38 species of Orchidaceae from ParNa Iguaçu, seeking to identify possible functional groups. For this, we surveyed 57 leaf morpho-anatomical characters and conducted histochemical and statistical tests. The morpho-anatomical traits group the species into two functional groups, with Cyclopogon congestus emerging isolated. In group A, xeromorphic morphoanatomical characters predominate, and group B combines members with meso/hygromorphic characteristics. We advocate the importance of understanding the ecological behavior of species, especially Orchidaceae, due to their important ecological role, in conservation actions in protected areas. Furthermore, our results highlight the morphological and anatomical diversity of the Orchidaceae found in ParNa Iguaçu, as well contributing to the development of better management practices for these plants, considering the threats posed by the opening of clearings and climate change.
期刊介绍:
FLORA publishes original contributions and review articles on plant structure (morphology and anatomy), plant distribution (incl. phylogeography) and plant functional ecology (ecophysiology, population ecology and population genetics, organismic interactions, community ecology, ecosystem ecology). Manuscripts (both original and review articles) on a single topic can be compiled in Special Issues, for which suggestions are welcome.
FLORA, the scientific botanical journal with the longest uninterrupted publication sequence (since 1818), considers manuscripts in the above areas which appeal a broad scientific and international readership. Manuscripts focused on floristics and vegetation science will only be considered if they exceed the pure descriptive approach and have relevance for interpreting plant morphology, distribution or ecology. Manuscripts whose content is restricted to purely systematic and nomenclature matters, to geobotanical aspects of only local interest, to pure applications in agri-, horti- or silviculture and pharmacology, and experimental studies dealing exclusively with investigations at the cellular and subcellular level will not be accepted. Manuscripts dealing with comparative and evolutionary aspects of morphology, anatomy and development are welcome.