ABSTRACT Fragmentation is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss in tropical forests through consequences on their different components. Beta diversity patterns across fragments have been studied across multiple spatial scales, but comparisons with intact landscapes and in a variety of vegetation types are scarce. In order to address this issue of anthropogenic landscape disturbance, we tested two hypotheses relating to fragmentation and beta diversity: 1. Floristic homogenization at patch-level scale and 2. Floristic differentiation at landscape-level scale. The study was conducted in the Espinhaço Range biosphere reserve, Brazil. Three landscapes encompassing a broad range of vegetation types were sampled in 115 plots. Two landscapes were fragmented due to mining activities (Sabará and Brumadinho) and one is protected (Parque Estadual Serra do Rola-Moça). Results showed high overall beta diversity both between landscapes (conserved and fragmented) and vegetation types (forest, Brazilian savanna “campos rupestres”, ecotone and ironstone “canga”) with high turnover and species losses, even in highly disturbed vegetation types. The conserved landscape was most diverse in terms of richness. Thus, fragmentation effects differed from the expected with a main role of differentiation processes, and we argue that high beta diversity is not always a good predictor of ecosystem health.

Resumo Para verificar a influência da altitude na estrutura anatômica de folhas e do xilema secundário de galhos de indivíduos da espécie Clethra scabra Pers. (Clethraceae) ocorrentes na Serra da Mantiqueira, estado de Minas Gerais, realizaram-se coletas de amostras nas cotas altitudinais de 1500, 1700, 1900 e 2100 m (metros). As folhas e galhos coletados foram fixados e preparados seguindo procedimentos usuais de microtécnica vegetal. Procederam-se análises anatômicas quantitativas utilizando software de análise de imagem. As folhas de C. scabra são hipoestomáticas com epiderme trisseriada e tricomas estrelados, mesofilo dorsiventral, parênquima paliçádico com uma a duas camadas celulares e o parênquima esponjoso com quatro. A nervura central com xilema desenvolvido e o feixe vascular envolvido pela bainha esclerenquimática. Análises de variância (ANOVA) e teste de Scott-Knott demonstraram que as espessuras do limbo foliar, mesofilo e parênquima paliçádico não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas significativas entre as altitudes avaliadas. O xilema secundário apresentou diminuição no comprimento dos elementos de vaso com o aumento da altitude na cota de 2100 m e o diâmetro tangencial dos elementos de vaso aumentaram nas duas menores altitudes e depois reduziram. Índices de vulnerabilidade de Carlquist e de mesomorfia diminuíram ao longo do gradiente altitudinal. Comprimento e diâmetro das fibras diminuíram com elevação da altitude. Assim, a altitude influencia nas modificações anatômicas apresentadas por folhas e galhos de C. scabra, que podem ser relacionadas a sua plasticidade fenotípica em resposta às diferentes condições ambientais.

Abstract To verify the influence of altitude on the anatomical structure of leaves and the secondary xylem of branches of individuals of the species Clethra scabra Pers. (Clethraceae) occurring in the Serra da Mantiqueira, state of Minas Gerais, samples were collected at altitudes of 1500, 1700, 1900 and 2100 m (meters). The collected leaves and branches were fixed and prepared following usual plant microtechnical procedures. Quantitative anatomical analyzes were performed using image analysis software. The leaves of C. scabra are hypoestomatic with triseriate epidermis and stellate trichomes, dorsiventral mesophyll, palisade parenchyma with one to two cell layers and the spongeous parenchyma with four. The central rib with developed xylem and the vascular bundle involved by the sclerenchyma sheath. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scott-Knott test demonstrated that the thickness of the leaf blade, mesophyll and palisade parenchyma did not present statistically significant differences between the evaluated altitudes. The secondary xylem showed a decrease in the length of the vessel elements with increasing altitude at the 2100 m elevation and the tangential diameter of the vessel elements increased at the two lowest altitudes and then reduced. The Carlquist and the mesomorphic vulnerability indices decreased along the altitudinal gradient. Fiber length and diameter decreased with increasing altitude. Thus, altitude influences the anatomical changes presented by leaves and branches of C. scabra, which can be related to its phenotypic plasticity in response to different environmental conditions.