title: Flood regime and water table determines tree distribution in a forest-savanna gradient in the Brazilian Pantanal.
abstract: This study aimed to recognized the preferential location of species of the tree sinusiae in response to a moisture gradient in Pantanal Matogrossense, Brazil. We established sampling plots of arboreal sinusiae along a soil moisture and flood gradient. Piezometers were installed, allowing monthly measurements of water table depth and flood height during one year. Detrended Correspondence Analysis, Gradient Direct Analysis, Multi-response Permutation Procedures and Indicator Species Analysis were performed to evaluate the effect of moisture gradient on tree distribution. The annual variation of water table is shallower and similar in Seasonally Flooded Forest and Termite Savanna, with increasing depths in Open Savanna, Savanna Forest and Dry Forest. Circa 64% of the species were characterized as having a preferential location in "terrestrial habitats normally not subjected to inundation", while 8% preferentially occur in "wet habitats". Lowest tree richness in flood-affected vegetation types is related to both present-day high climatic seasonality and Late Pleistocene dry paleoclimates in the Pantanal wetland. The tree distribution across different formations in the Pantanal shows a direct relationship with soil moisture gradient.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Federal do Sul de Minas Gerais (IFSULDEMINAS), Campus Machado, Rodovia Machado-Paraguaçu, Km 03, s/n, 37750-000 Machado, MG, Brasil, Instituto Federal do Sul de Minas Gerais, Instituto Federal do Sul de Minas Gerais, Machado MG , Brazil.
authors.forename: Walnir G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Ferreira-Júnior
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Solos, Av. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brasil, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa MG , Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos E G R
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brasil, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá MT , Brazil.
authors.forename: Cátia N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brasil, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá MT , Brazil.
authors.forename: Temilze G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Av. Tancredo Neves, 1095, 78200-000 Cáceres, MT, Brasil, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Cáceres MT , Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chieregatto
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Biologia, Av. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brasil, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Biologia, Viçosa MG , Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia M S
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Carmo
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D055868:Floods; D065928:Forests; D065948:Grassland; D060587:Groundwater; D012621:Seasons; D014197:Trees; D053833:Wetlands