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A phytogeographic analysis of the woody elements of New World savannas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2010

J. C. Lenthall ,
S. Bridgewater  and
P. A. Furley
J. C. Lenthall
Affiliation:
Forest Research, Northern Research Station, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9SY, UK.
S. Bridgewater
Affiliation:
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK.
P. A. Furley
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK.
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Abstract

An analysis was made of the floristic composition of 45 savanna sites located throughout the southern neoarctic and neotropics. A total of 533 woody species were recorded from published and reliable unpublished floristic lists; of these, 234 species (44%) were from 10 Brazilian cerrado sites, with 187 (80%) of them restricted to the cerrado biome. The cerrados were clearly shown to be the most diverse New World savanna system with a high degree of endemism. The data were analysed using two multivariate techniques: TWINSPAN and DCA. Four phytogeographic zones were identified: Central Brazil and Bolivia extending to Southern Amazonia; north of Amazonia extending across the isthmus of Central America and including the Caribbean; Belize, Guatemala and Southern Mexico; and north of the Mexican Plateau. The analyses revealed gradients of floristic variation associated with latitude and longitude, and showed the great heterogeneity of savanna vegetation.

Keywords

Biodiversitycerradofloristic patternsmultivariate analysistropical plantbiogeography
Type
Articles
Information
Edinburgh Journal of Botany , Volume 56 , Issue 2 , July 1999 , pp. 293 - 305
Copyright
Copyright © Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 1999

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