Floristic influence of Amazonian Lowland Dense Rain Forest on the pioneer vegetation with marine influence, Restinga of Pará state, Brazil

Abstract

The coastal region of the municipalities of Curuçá and Maracanã, on the northeastern coast of Pará, shelters a valuable biological heritage, the last two remnants of Dense Rain Forest on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. On the Ipomonga Island (Curuçá) and at the Marieta Beach (Maracanã), the Lowland Dense Rain Forest is notable for its abrupt contact with the pioneer formation with marine influence, called as Restinga. This geomorphological interface favors floristic connectivity between different ecosystems. The research objective was to evaluate, through vegetation inventories, whether these forests remnants, about Lowland Dense Rain Forest, are sources of dispersal of woody species in Restinga. A total of 189 species were recorded in 50 botanical families with the greatest richness corresponds to the dense forest (67 species). Of this flora, 46 species (24%) were common to both vegetation typologies, with 18 species considered new occurrences in Restinga of the Amazonian coastal plains. The floristic affinities founded support the effect of Lowland Dense Rain Forest acting as the source for propagule dispersion over the pioneer formation with marine influence (Restinga), mostly dispersed by animals (zoocory).

Key words
Amazonian coast; dispersal strategies; forests remnants; marine influence