Strong floristic distinctiveness across Neotropical successional forests

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Botany
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Secondary forests on abandoned fields are crucial for biodiversity and ecosystem services restoration.
• Understanding their role in preserving regional tree flora distinctiveness is vital for effective conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if early successional forests in the Neotropics maintain distinct regional tree floras.
• To identify factors influencing the floristic composition of these forests.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of floristic composition from 1215 early successional forests (≤20 years) across 75 Neotropical landscapes.
• Identification of distinct floristic groups and assessment of their association with environmental and biogeographic factors.

Main Results:

• Fourteen distinct floristic groups were identified, showing high dissimilarity (0.97).
• Floristic composition was strongly linked to location, bioregions, soil pH, temperature seasonality, and water availability.
• No significant association was found between floristic groups and human disturbance indicators.

Conclusions:

• Early secondary forests contribute to conserving bioregional distinctiveness in the Neotropics.
• Regional floristic variation is primarily driven by biogeographic and environmental factors.
• Forest restoration initiatives should prioritize local species to maintain unique regional floras.