Efeito de borda em espécies arbóreas de fragmentos de Cerrado

Abstract

Despite covering around 25% of the Brazilian territory and being considered a hotspot for biodiversity conservation, the Brazilian Savannah as been undergoing an intense process of habitat fragmentation, due to anthropogenic pressures. Occupying the largest area in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, this biome has become the primary focus of agribusiness, a strong pillar of the state’s economy. Its phytophysiognomic characteristics favor practices such as monoculture and livestock farming, which disrupt and degrade the ecosystem as a whole, resulting in forest and habitat fragmentation. The present study investigates the edge effects on tree species in forest fragments of this highly threatened biome, emphasizing changes in vegetation composition and density between marginal and interior areas. Statistical analyses revealed that edge zones are characterized by smaller trees and favor pioneer species due to increased light penetration and reduced vegetation cover density. Conversely, the interior preserves more stable conditions, benefiting shade-adapted species and exhibiting higher overall density.