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Epilithic plant communities on inselbergs in French Guiana
Author(s) -
Sarthou Corinne,
Villiers JeanFrançois
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of vegetation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1654-1103
pISSN - 1100-9233
DOI - 10.2307/3237050
Subject(s) - cyperaceae , geography , vegetation (pathology) , ecology , plant community , poaceae , biology , species richness , medicine , pathology
. Tropical inselbergs are isolated elevations with a special type of vegetation and surrounded by rain forest. The paper describes, using the field methods of Braun‐Blanquet, combined with numerical analysis (clustering, Correspondence Analysis), plant communities on French Guianan inselbergs. Six new associations are described: Portulacetum sedifolii, Furcraeetum foetidae, Ananasetum annassoidis, Stylosanthetum guianensis, Axonopetum ramosi and (endemic to the Guianan inselbergs) Pepinietum geyskesii – with three subassociations. The six vegetation units reflect different combinations of environmental factors such as local relief, insolation, water availability and soil depth. All syntaxa show a low species diversity. Species of Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Lentibulariaceae and Bromeliaceae are predominant, whereas families typical of other South American inselbergs ( Velloziaceae and Cactaceae ), are missing or scarce. Similarities between vegetation units of South American and African inselbergs are emphasized.