Phenotypic variation of Brazilian Savannah plants in response to environmental heterogeneity

Abstract

Pedroso,  H.L.,  Rocha-Filho,  L.C.,  Lomônaco, C.  (2010).  Phenotypic  variation  of  Brazilian  Savannah  plants  in  response  to environmental heterogeneity. Ecosistemas 19(1):24-36.

Phenotypic variation of Brazilian Savannah plants in response to environmental heterogeneity. This article is a bibliographic research that presents  a  comparative  data  synthesis  from  five  previous  published  studies  and  describes  the  phenotypic  variation  of  vegetative  and reproductive traits of seven plant species in an Ecological Reserve, in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais (Brasil; 18º55’S; 48º17’W). The phenotypic variation was investigated in an ecotone where the emergency of springs has originated a palm-swamp in an area occupied by the cerrado sensu  stricto  vegetation  (Brazilian  Savannah).  All  plant  populations  show  some  kind  of  morphological  alteration  of  both  reproductive  and vegetative traits in response to environmental heterogeneity, which allows the characterization of subpopulations, an aspect that suggests an increase of the variability of both vegetative and reproductive traits. There is a unique way in which each plant interacts with the ecotone edaphic  humidity  pattern.  Besides,  phenotypic  adjustments  act  in  an  extensive  way,  connecting  the  distinct  organism  traits  in  a  complex integrative process.