Influence of Soil Fertility on Herbaceous Community Structure in Dunes and Swamps of the Coastal Plain of Laguna, South Brazil: An Ecological Approach

J. C. F. Melo-Júnior *

Joinville Regional University, Environmental Science Research Program, Laboratory of Morphology and Plant Ecology, Rua Paulo Maschitzki, n. 10, CEP 89219-710, Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

S. S. Dornelles

Joinville Regional University, Environmental Science Research Program, Laboratory of Morphology and Plant Ecology, Rua Paulo Maschitzki, n. 10, CEP 89219-710, Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

A. D. Viana

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

A. A. Ribeiro

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

A. M. Ruthes

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

A. Aviz

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

B. C. Fernandes

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

B. C. Reginato

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

C. I. Telles

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

D. G. Mayer

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

G. Teixeira

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

G. H. D' Ambrósio

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

G. Lamin

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

G. M. Castilho

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

G. C. Mussoi

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

H. S. Devigili

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

J. B. Lopes

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

J. A. Falletti-Netto

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

J. M. Conrado

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

L. S. Bianchini

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

M. F. Goulart

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

M. C. Brand

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

T. S. Steffens

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

V. F. Silveira

Joinville Regional University, Marine Biological Science, Rodovia Duque de Caxias, Bairro Iperoba, CEP 89240-000 - São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the influence of soil nutrition on the organization of restinga communities on two different geoformations in the post-beach region. Studies were carried out at Laboratory of Morphology and Plant Ecology and Marine Biological Science Course, Joinville Regional University, in coastal plain of the municipality of Laguna, Santa Catarina, Brazil, during August 2017. A phytosociological survey was performed using 1 x 1m plots distributed along four parallel transects spaced about 200m apart (50 plots were located on parabolic dunes and 50 plots were located on swamp of intercordion depressions). Chemical characterization of the soil of the parabolic dunes and the intercordion depressions adopted conventional soil protocols. The phytosociological survey recorded 28 species distributed among 25 genera and 12 families of angiosperms. Of these species, seven were found co-occurring in parabolic dunes and swamps of intercordion depressions, whereas the others were unique to one or the other geoformation. Swamp showed bigger diversity than dunes. The most diverse families were Asteraceae (9), Cyperaceae (5) and Poaceae (5), which accounted for 79.2% of the total number of species surveyed. The dune soil had higher salinity, while the swamps had greater availability of water and fertility. The results obtained in the present study corroborate the indissociable plant-soil relationship attributed to restinga environments, specifically that increases in both species richness and abundance are associated with higher fertility and water availability of soil, and whose edaphic climax is notorious in the most settled communities near the sea.

Keywords: Phytosociology, coastal vegetation, restinga, soil-plant relationship, edaphic climax, espodossol


How to Cite

Melo-Júnior, J. C. F., S. S. Dornelles, A. D. Viana, A. A. Ribeiro, A. M. Ruthes, A. Aviz, B. C. Fernandes, B. C. Reginato, C. I. Telles, D. G. Mayer, G. Teixeira, G. H. D’ Ambrósio, G. Lamin, G. M. Castilho, G. C. Mussoi, H. S. Devigili, J. B. Lopes, J. A. Falletti-Netto, J. M. Conrado, L. S. Bianchini, M. F. Goulart, M. C. Brand, T. S. Steffens, and V. F. Silveira. 2017. “Influence of Soil Fertility on Herbaceous Community Structure in Dunes and Swamps of the Coastal Plain of Laguna, South Brazil: An Ecological Approach”. International Journal of Plant & Soil Science 20 (4):1-11. https://doi.org/10.9734/IJPSS/2017/37998.