Traços Funcionais na Evolução e Estruturação de Florestas Estacionais Functional Traits in the Evolution and Structuring of Seasonal Forests

Abstract

Functional traits are morphological, physiological, and behavioral attributes that influence plant performance in their environment, crucial for their establishment, survival, and reproduction over evolutionary time. This thesis investigates the functional traits of woody plants in the Seasonal Forests of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, exploring their evolution, distribution, and impact on ecosystem functioning. The first chapter focuses on the analysis of the phylogenetic signal of functional traits, investigating the conservation and superdispersion of these attributes in different phytophysiognomies of Seasonal Forests. Using D statistics to estimate the phylogenetic signal and Correspondence Analysis (CA) to explore patterns in the associations between variables, distinct patterns of phylogenetic conservation were identified. Traits such as flower size and dispersal syndrome were identified as conserved, while characteristics such as spinescence and resprouting capacity showed more randomness or superdispersion. These patterns reflect specific adaptations to selective pressures, including disturbances and mutualistic interactions throughout the evolution of plant communities. The second chapter groups species into clusters based on their functional traits, analyses the overlap and relationships among these functional groups in a multivariate space, and seeks to understand the spatial distribution of species within these clusters in relation to environmental factors such as climate, soil, and geomorphology. This chapter highlights the importance of reproductive and floral traits in differentiating clusters and the flexible adaptation of species to variable environmental conditions, revealing preferences for specific topographic and climatic environments within Mato Grosso do Sul. This thesis significantly contributes to the theoretical and applied understanding of functional traits as fundamental elements in the structure and dynamics of plant communities in Seasonal Forests. Furthermore, it establishes a solid foundation for future research and initiatives in conservation and ecological restoration in similar ecosystems, in the face of global environmental changes.