Diversidade e estrutura da vegetação lenhosa em cerrado sentido restrito na Reserva Ecológica do Panga, Uberlândia-MG

Abstract

Tropical savannas, such as the Brazilian Cerrado, exhibit high biodiversity and structural complexity, but are increasingly degraded and fragmented due to agricultural expansion. This study aimed to characterize the structure and floristic composition of woody vegetation at a fine spatial scale in an area of cerrado sensu stricto in the Panga Ecological Reserve (Uberlândia, Minas Gerais). Twelve 100-m² plots were sampled along a structural gradient. A total of 1,216 individuals belonging to 98 species and 35 botanical families were recorded, with the families Fabaceae, Malpighiaceae, and Myrtaceae predominating. The most abundant species was Miconia albicans (Sw.) DC, belonging to the family Melastomataceae. Density was estimated at 10,133 individuals/ha, with a predominance of young and small individuals, reflecting the recent history of fires in the area. A negative correlation was observed between density and trunk diameter, and a positive correlation between density and species richness. The floristic composition showed significant variation between plots and increased dissimilarity with geographic distance. The results indicate strong structural and floristic heterogeneity at the fine-local scale, reinforcing the need for conservation strategies that consider the intra-physiognomic spatial complexity of the Cerrado.