ABSTRACT Upper montane ecosystems in Brazil are little known, and their structural and functional aspects poorly understood. Our goals were to describe tree species diversity and community structure, and to characterize tree species in relation to their ecological traits, phytogeographic history and conservation status in an upper montane araucaria forest remnant. A total of 26 species belonging to 18 families were found in a 1-hectare permanent plot. The tree community mainly comprised trees with diameters of less than 20 cm and heights of between 6.5 and 9.5 m. Drimys angustifolia and Myrceugenia regnelliana had the highest importance values. Most species were shade tolerant while most individuals were pioneers. Most species and individuals presented zoophily and zoochory. Most sampled species and individuals were related to araucaria forests. Seven species are threatened to some degree while one species, Crinodendron brasiliensis, besides threatened, is also endemic to the region. The presence of endemic and endangered species demonstrates that the studied area serves important conservation purposes. Furthermore, the present study demonstrates the important role that upper montane regions have for conservation and describes the structural patterns of still poorly studied habitats, reinforcing the importance such systems have in maintaining species diversity at high elevations.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar a relação entre as bromélias epifíticas e a vegetação arbustiva e arbórea registrada em diferentes estádios sucessionais da Floresta Ombrófila Densa, com o intuito de detectar forófitos potenciais à colonização por bromélias. Os forófitos foram selecionados por meio do método de quadrantes centrados, e verificada a relação entre as suas características morfológicas com a ocorrência de bromélias, por meio da análise de Correlação de Spearman e teste de qui-quadrado. Foram registradas 27 espécies bromélias epifíticas pertencentes a oito gêneros, e 85 espécies forofíticas. O diâmetro foi a variável que apresentou maior influência na riqueza das bromélias. Forófitos com cascas persistentes e com textura rugosa apresentaram maior frequência de bromélias.

The main objective of this study was to identify the relationship between epiphytic bromeliad species and their associated native forest vegetation (trees and shrubs) at different successional stages in the southern coastal Atlantic Rainforest. This study also characterized potential colonization of phorophytes in identified epiphytic bromeliads species. The phorophytes were selected by the phytosociological sampling point-centered quarter method. The relationship between the phorophytes morphological characteristics and epiphytic bromeliads species occurrence was analyzed using a Spearman Correlation and chi-square tests. Twenty-seven epiphytic bromeliads species representing eight genera were found on eighty-five phorophytes. The variable phorophyte diameter presented the greatest influence on the abundance of epiphytic bromeliads species found. Phorophytes with a persistent bark and rough texture showed higher frequency of bromeliads.