Sucessão, composição florística e biologia da polinização de uma comunidade vegetal do cerrado, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais

Abstract

The succession is seen as an ecological process that results in environmental changes driven by the biological community culminating in a persistent type of ecosystem. The fire is considered a major factor in the succession of disclímax cerrado areas determining the dynamics and composition of the vegetation. However, when savannas are protected from fire both tolerant and sensitive species increase in density and size, specially the tree species. The aim of the study was to determine changes in the floristic composition, floral biology, aspects of pollination, and nectar supply in a campo sujo area protected against fire for 20 years at Estação Ecológica do Panga, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais. There was an increase in specie richness of 50 species since 1992 to 2012 and the development of trees and species with specialized pollination. This increase in species richness has been seen as an important factor in reducing the variability of pollinator s population density over time. This indicates a greater stability of the pollinator community, improving functional redundancy, so that can potentially compensate extinctions. Besides the species richness, abundance of flowers is another important factor in structuring communities of pollinators. Hence, the greater plant diversity, the greater the floral abundance and availability of food for these animals, increasing temporal stability in resources supply.