Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
marked shift in the relative abundance of tree reproductive traits, including the
lack of some specialized pollination systems and a parallel increase in the fre-
quency of generalist ones. Collectively, shifts in reproductive traits promote a con-
spicuous reduction in the functional diversity of tree assemblages in fragmented
landscapes, which may strongly influence forest dynamics and the persistence of
biodiversity.
Materials and Methods
Study Site and Landscape Attributes
This study was conducted in the State of Alagoas in northeastern Brazil on the
property of Usina Serra Grande (8°58
′
50
″
S, 36°04
′
30
″
W), a large, privately-
owned sugar producer. This landholding has approximately 9,000 ha of forest
included in a unique biogeographic region of the Atlantic forest known as the
Pernambuco Center of Endemism [sensu 35] or the Atlantic forest of Northeast
Brazil, the most threatened sector of the South American Atlantic forest [17]. We
selected a large (666.7 km2), severely fragmented landscape within this property
containing 109 forest fragments (total forest cover = 9.2%), including the 3,500-
ha Coimbra forest-the largest and best preserved remnant in this region [19]. All
fragments are entirely surrounded by a uniform matrix of sugar-cane monocul-
ture (Figure 1). In addition to the Coimbra forest, the patches ranged in size from
1.67-295.7 ha.
Figure 1.
Study landscape at the Atlantic forest of northeast Brazil.
(A) Northeastern
Brazil, where this study was conducted. (B) Distribution of the Atlantic forest of northeast
Brazil ( = Pernambuco Center of Endemism), note original (grey) and current (black) distribution of this forest
in the region; white rectangle represents the study landscape (amplified in C). (C) Study landscape with the
fragments used in this study (dark grey polygons), including the 3,500 ha Coimbra forest (lower right). Light grey
and white areas represent remaining forest fragments (not sampled) and sugar-cane cultivation, respectively.
