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Articles • Hoehnea 51 • 2024 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2236-8906e1132023 linkcopy

Open-access Exploring the Hidden Botanical Treasures of Pontal Island: An Urban Forest in the Parque Natural Municipal de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

Explorando os Tesouros Botânicos Escondidos da Ilha do Pontal: Uma Floresta Urbana no Parque Natural Municipal de Niterói, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

AuthorshipSCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

    ABSTRACT

    The Pontal Island, located in the Parque Natural Municipal de Niterói, stands out as a vital remnant of the Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro. With ecosystems including forest, rocky outcrops, restinga, and mangroves, the island is a biodiversity treasure. This study aimed to conduct a monthly floristic survey from September 2021 to August 2022. The study found 194 species, divided into four plant communities, with Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Myrtaceae being the most representative families. Five species are endemic, ten are threatened, and twelve are new records for Niterói.

    Keywords: Atlantic Forest; checklist; floristic Inventory; PARNIT

    RESUMO

    A Ilha do Pontal, situada no Parque Natural Municipal de Niterói, destaca-se como um remanescente vital do Bioma da Mata Atlântica no Rio de Janeiro. Com ecossistemas que incluem floresta, afloramentos rochosos, restinga e manguezais, a ilha é uma preciosidade biológica. Este estudo realizou um levantamento florístico mensal de setembro de 2021 a agosto de 2022. Dividida em quatro comunidades vegetais, a ilha apresenta 194 espécies, sendo Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae e Myrtaceae as famílias mais representativas. Cinco espécies são endêmicas, dez estão ameaçadas de extinção, e doze são novos registros para Niterói.

    Palavras-chave: checklist; Floresta Atlântica; inventário florístico; PARNIT

    Introduction

    The Atlantic Forest domain is the second largest Neotropical rainforest after the Amazon (Tabarelli et al. 2005, Joly et al. 2012). It can be divided, depending on geographical location and pluviometric index, into the following phytophysiognomies: Dense Ombrophilous Forest, Open Ombrophilous Forest, Mixed Ombrophilous Forest, Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, Deciduous Seasonal Forest, and Pioneer Formations (Mangroves and Restingas - a type of coastal sand dune habitat) (IBGE 2012). The Dense Ombrophilous Forest stands out, predominantly located along the coast and in the easternmost mountain ranges. Because of this proximity with the Atlantic Ocean, it receives a great amount of moisture and presents high precipitation rates and mean temperature, with an average of 25°C (Ab’Saber 1977, Veloso et al. 1991, IBGE 2012; Joly et al. 2012). Due to its high levels of endemism and species richness and severe deforestation due to human influence (Franke et al. 2005, Joly et al. 2012), the domain is considered one of the centers of biodiversity in the world (MMA 2000) and one of the five global biodiversity hotspots (Mittermeier et al. 1999, Myers et al. 2000, Tabarelli et al. 2005). Originally, the Atlantic Forest covered the entire Brazilian coast, extending from Rio Grande do Norte to Rio Grande do Sul (Joly et al. 1991, Barros 2008). Currently, it is estimated that the coverage of Atlantic Forest remnants is restricted to 16-28% of the original vegetation (Ribeiro et al. 2009, Rezende et al. 2018).

    In the State of Rio de Janeiro, it is estimated that the Atlantic Forest covered approximately 99% of the original territory (ISA 2001, Barros 2008). However, today, only fragments of the domain are found mainly in montane and protected areas (MMA 2000). Niterói is a city in the metropolitan region of the State of Rio de Janeiro that went through a large urban and real estate development in the 1970s (Mizubuti 1986, Wehrs 1984 Fontenelle & Corrêa 2013), which replaced many green areas with urban and residential ones. Presently, the remnants of Atlantic Forest are within protected areas (Conservation Units, as defined by Brazilian law), such as the Parque Estadual da Serra daTiririca (PESET) and the Parque Natural Municipal Niterói (PARNIT). Despite its proximity to the capital of Rio de Janeiro - the second largest city in the country -, Niterói still has a poorly documented biological diversity. This is the case for a variety of ecosystems found in PARNIT, which, apart from being undersampled, face constant threats of territorial loss (MPRJ 2017).

    The Pontal Island is located in the Piratininga Lagoon and is a part of the Costeiro/Lagunar sector of PARNIT, along with other coastal and lagoon areas. The island was completely surrounded by the lagoon waters until the 1970s, when an artificial landfill connected its northern shores to the urban area of the Oceanic Region of Niterói (Fontenelle & Corrêa 2013, 2014). Human impact in the area, however, began much earlier: in the 1940s, the Camboatá Canal was dug open, which connected the Piratininga Lagoon to the nearby Itaipu Lagoon, as an attempt to prevent flooding in the region. This caused the Piratininga Lagoon water levels to drop, leading to the increase of dry areas that were quickly occupied by irregular housings (Niterói 2018). All of this has contributed to an intense flow of people, mainly tourists and fishermen, that come from the surrounding communities and neighboring areas to Pontal Island. Nevertheless, the island boasts a remarkable diversity of ecosystems, including forests, rocky outcroppings, marshes, and mangroves (SMARHS 2021). In this study, we carried out the first floristic survey on Pontal Island and assessed the species checklist in terms of endemism, richness, composition and conservation status.

    Materials and methods

    The Parque Natural Municipal de Niterói (PARNIT) is a Integral Protection Conservation Unit, as defined by Brazilian environmental legislation, created in 2014 and divided in three sectors: Guanabara, Montanha da Viração, and Costeiro/Lagunar, with a total area of approximately 897 hectares. The Costeiro/Lagunar sector includes the surroundings of the Piratininga Lagoon, Modesto Island, Duas Irmãs Island, Veado Island, Sossego Beach, Galheta Point, and Pontal Island (figure 1) (Niterói Municipal Government 2014, SMARHS 2021).

    Figure 1
    Pontal Island map - Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil. Limits of Parque Natural Municipal Niterói (PARNIT) highlighted in light green.

    Pontal Island (22°56'29.2"S, 43°04'36.2"W), located in the Piratininga Lagoon, has an area of approximately 4.26 ha, a maximum altitude of 23m above sea level, and is characterized by the presence of forest, rocky outcropping, marsh, mangrove, and restinga (SMARHS 2021). The soil composition is diverse, including rocky zones and swampy areas with clay-sandy sediment (Niterói 2021) (figure 2).

    Figure 2
    Environments found in Pontal Island, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil, with various soil composition: midden covered rocky outcrop (a), organic matter and sediment covered rocky outcrop (b), shallow dry soil (c) and boggy sandy-clay filled soil (d).

    Field work and collections were carried out at Pontal Island between September 2021 and August 2022, following the "Walking" method (Filgueiras et al. 1994) and covering all trails on the island. A total of ten expeditions were carried out. All fertile material of botanical specimens was collected using pruning shears and telescopic pruning shears. The material was processed following the method described by Mori et al. (1989), identified, and deposited in the Niterói Herbarium (NIT), and duplicates were sent to the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden (RB).

    Plant communities were analyzed based on field observations and satellite images (Google Maps). Plant material was identified at the family level using an identification key following the APG IV (2016) for Angiosperms and PPG I for ferns and lycophytes (2016), and at the genus and species level through consultation of specimens deposited in the herbaria available in the SpeciesLink and Jabot databases, and, when necessary, consultation with experts. The Flora e Funga do Brasil and CNCFlora platforms were also used to check for species name, geographic distribution, origin (native, naturalized, cultivated), and extinction risk and endemism status. For classification of species list in terms of predominant vegetation types, Restinga Net was consulted.

    Results and discussion

    Plant communities - Four different communities were identified within Pontal Island (figures 3 e 4): Forest Formation (FF); Herbaceous Rocky Outcrop (HRO); Shrubby Rocky Outcrop (SRO); and White Mangrove Formation (WMF). The Forest Formation (FF), which covers the largest area of the island, stands out for the predominance of tree species that can reach up to 12m in height. This community had the highest number of species: 59.7% of the total inventoried, of which 40.8% (78) are exclusive and include species such as Astronium graveolens Jacq., Tabernaemontana laeta Mart., Cybistax antisyphilitica (Mart.) Mart., Erythroxylum passerinum Mart., Lonchocarpus sericeus (Poir.) Kunth ex DC., Eugenia candolleana DC., Myrcia ovata Cambess., Myrciaria aff. floribunda (H.West ex Willd.) O.Berg, Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd., Guapira opposita (Vell.) Reitz, Alseis involuta K.Schum. and Cupania vernalis Cambess. In this community, we also find the “Red Forest”, a forest fragment characterized by the concentration of Myrtaceae species with a reddish trunk - Eugenia candolleana and Myrciaria aff. floribunda - popularly known as “cambuí-vermelho” or “cambuíva”.

    Figure 3
    Four plant communities found in Pontal Island, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil. Forest formation (FF) (a), Herbaceous Rocky Outcrop (HRO) (b), Shrubby Rocky Outcrop (SRO) (c) and White Mangrove Formation (WMF) (d).

    Figure 4
    Relative species richness in the four plant communities found in Pontal Island, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil. FF: Forest Formation, SHO: Shrubby Rocky Outcrops, HRO: Herbaceous Rocky Outcrops and WMF: White Mangrove Formation.

    The Herbaceous Rocky Outcrop (HRO) as predominantly herbaceous plants, such as lycophytes, ferns, and succulent herbs, is represented by Cactaceae, Crassulaceae, Portulacaceae, and Anemiaceae. In the HRO community, where vegetation develops in areas where sediment and organic matter accumulate, populations of Portulaca halimoides L. and Portulaca mucronata Link. were found. On the shell mound deposits, dominance of Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers., Anemia tomentosa (Sav.) Sw., and Selaginella sellowii Hieron. was observed. In addition to these, the occurrence of ruderal species such as Croton glandulosus L., Euphorbia heterophylla L., Crotalaria pallida Aiton, Rivina humilis L., Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass., Hexasepalum apiculatum (Willd.) Delprete & J.H.Kirkbr., Talinum paniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn., Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Rich.) Vahl and Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C.E.Jarvis was recorded.

    Meanwhile, in the Shrubby Rocky Outcrops (SRO), the cacti Cereus fernambucensis Lem., Coleocephalocereus fluminensis (Miq.) Backeb., Opuntia monacantha Haw., Pilosocereus arrabidae (Lem.) Byles & Rowley, Pilosocereus brasiliensis (Britton & Rose) Backeb and Selenicereus setaceus (Salm-Dyck) Berg. are conspicuous. The SRO holds 42.9% of the sampled floristic diversity for the island, of which 18.8% (36) of the species are exclusive. This community has a predominance of shrubby and small tree species such as Croton compressus Lam., Croton urticifolius Lam. and Jacaranda jasminoides (Thunb.) Sandwith. Species such as Myriopus membranaceus (DC.) J.I.M. Melo, Varronia curassavica Jacq., Erythroxylum ovalifolium Peyr., Myrcia selloi (Spreng.) N.Silveira, Eugenia uniflora L. and Piper amalago L. were also found. Some herbaceous species such as Neoregelia cruenta (R.Graham) L.B.Sm., Cyperus odoratus L., Paliavana prasinata (Ker Gawl.) Benth., Serpocaulon triseriale (Sw.) A.R.Sm., and arboreal species such as Crateva tapia L., Monteverdia obtusifolia (Mart.) Biral, Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana, Albizia polycephala (Benth.) Killip ex Record, Ceiba erianthos (Cav.) K.Schum., Pilocarpus spicatus A.St.-Hil. and Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi stand out in this community. Some occurring vines are Bignonia corymbosa (Vent.) L.G.Lohmann, Fridericia conjugata (Vell.) L.G.Lohmann, Hippocratea volubilis L., Vigna luteola (Jacq.) Benth., Paullinia coriacea Casar and predominantly Stigmaphyllon auriculatum (Cav.) A.Juss. The epiphytic species are Aechmea nudicaulis (L.) Griseb., Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L., Tillandsia tricholepis Baker and Vriesea procera (Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Wittm.

    The White Mangrove Formation (WMF) comprises the southern, southeastern, and southwestern portions of Pontal Island. It is strongly dominated by Laguncularia racemosa (L.) C.F.Gaertn., known as white mangrove, although trees such as Annona glabra L., Monteverdia obtusifolia (Mart.) Biral, Cynophalla flexuosa (L.) J.Presl, Dalbergia ecastaphyllum (L.) Taub., Sapium glandulosum (L.) Morong and Ouratea cuspidata (A.St.-Hil.) Engl. were also found. Herbaceous species such as Plumbago scandens L., Typha domingensis Pers. and Acrostichum danaeifolium Langsd. and two species of climbers, Gomphrena vaga Mart. and Stigmaphyllon ciliatum (Lam.) A.Juss., were found, but no epiphytes were recorded in this community.

    Species survey - A total of 194 species were identified, distributed in 152 genera and 66 families (table 1, figure 8). Of these, 186 species, 145 genera, and 61 families are Angiosperms, while four families, seven genera, and eight species are Lycophytes or Ferns. The most representative families were Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae, Cactaceae, Asteraceae, Bignoniaceae, Bromeliaceae, Erythroxylaceae, Malpighiaceae and Sapindaceae (figure 5). Herbaceous plants were predominant, followed by trees, shrubs, vines and epiphytes (figure 6). The herbaceous plants were mainly represented by Asteraceae, Commelinaceae, Cactaceae, Fabaceae, Araceae, Orchidaceae, Piperaceae, and Poaceae. Shrubs were mainly composed of Euphorbiaceae, Cactaceae, Myrtaceae, and Erythroxylaceae. Tree species mainly belonged to Fabaceae, Myrtaceae, and Apocynaceae. The vines/climbing plants were mainly represented by Bignoniaceae, Convolvulaceae, Fabaceae, Malpighiaceae and Sapindaceae, and epiphytes were mainly composed of Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae, and Polypodiaceae.

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    Table 1
    Species list of vascular plants found in Pontal Island, Parque Natural Municipal de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, during our survey from September 2021 to August 2022, their Collector Number (assigned in the field and attributed to all duplicates, regardless of the Herbarium in wich it was deposited), and the communities where specimens were found. FF: Forest Formation. HRO: Herbaceous Rocky Outcrop. SRO: Shrubby Rocky Outcrop. WMF: White Mangrove Formation *: news records for Niterói city.

    Figure 5
    Families with higher species number from Pontal Island, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil.

    Figure 6
    Different life forms observed for all species found in Pontal Island, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil.

    Figure 7
    Examples of threatened, endemic and newly recorded species for Pontal Island, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil. Stigmaphyllon vitifolium A.Juss. (a, b), Coleocephalocereus fluminensis (Miq.) Backeb. (c), Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides Haw. (d), Tripogandra wargimingiana (Seub.) Hadlos (e), Erythroxylum ovalifolium Peyr. (f), Pilosocereus brasiliensis (Britton & Rose) Backeb (g), Pleroma vimineum (D. Don.) D. Don. (h) e Lepidaploa cotoneaster (Willd. ex Spreng.) H.Rob. (i).

    Most species found in Pontal Island have not been evaluated in terms of extinction risk (NE). From the 39 species for which threat level has been assessed, ten species in some level of risk were identified (figure 6): Stigmaphyllon vitifolium A.Juss. (Malpighiaceae), classified as Critically Endangered (CR); Mikania hastifolia Baker (Asteraceae), C. fluminensis (Cactaceae), Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides Haw. (Cactaceae), and Erythroxylum frangulifolium A.St.-Hil. (Erythroxylaceae) as Endangered (EN), and Tripogandra warmingiana (Seub.) Handlos (Commelinaceae), E. ovalifolium (Erythroxylaceae), and A. involuta (Rubiaceae) as Vulnerable (VU). P. brasiliensis (Cactaceae) and Manettia fimbriata Cham. & Schltdl. (Rubiaceae) are Near Threatened (NT). The remaining 29 species were of Least Concern (LC). Although A. involuta is known to occur in southeastern Brazil and in the State of Bahia, Marinho & Jardim (2016) indicate that the species‘ geographic distribution is restricted to the Dense Ombrophilous Forest and Restinga Forests of Espírito Santo, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, proposing a new species for the dry forests of Bahia and Minas Gerais. T. warmingiana is a rare species typically found in the understory of rock outcrops in Dense Ombrophilous Forests. Among the locations where it occurs, few are under any form of protection (Pellegrini et al. 2013). Four threatened species (Mikania hastifolia, Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides, E. ovalifolium and Manettia fimbriata) are endemic to the State of Rio de Janeiro (Flora e Funga do Brasil 2023). Pleroma vimineum (D. Don) D. Don is the only species endemic to the State which has not yet been assessed (figure 7).

    Figure 8
    Species recorded in Pontal Island, Pontal Island, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil. Dichorisandra thyrsiflora J.C.Mikan (a), Stigmaphyllon auriculatum (Cav.) A.Juss. (b), Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana (c), Ouratea cuspidata (A.St.-Hil.) Engl. (d), Ceiba erianthos (Cav.) K.Schum. (e), Opuntia monacantha Haw. (f), Hemionitis tomentosa (Lam.) Raddi (g), Anemia tomentosa (Sav.) Sw. (h), Cratylia hypargyrea Mart. ex Benth. (i), Pleroma gaudichaudianum (j), Aechmea nudicaulis (k), Anthurium coriaceum (l) e Sida cordifolia (m).

    Twelve new occurrences were recorded for the municipality of Niterói: Lepidaploa cotoneaster (Willd. Ex Spreng.) H.Rob. (figure 7), Ximenia americana L., Ipomoea saopaulista O'Donell, Dioscorea subhastata Vell., Mesosphaerum pectinatum (L.) Kuntze, Ctenodon paniculatus (Willd. ex Vogel) D.B.O.S.Cardoso, P.L.R.Moraes & H.C.Lima, L. sericeus, Zornia curvata Mohlenbr., Peperomia blanda (Jacq.) Kunth, Parodiophyllochloa cordovensis (E.Fourn.) Zuloaga & Morrone, Parodiophyllochloa ovulifera (Trin.) Zuloaga & Morrone and Simarouba amara Aubl. This is astonishing, considering how PARNIT is an urban forest close to one of the largest cities in the country. Although a great deal of evidence points to the enormous positive impacts green areas provide in urban environments (Solomou 2019; Anjali et al. 2020) to a point where natural resources can be actually monetized (see Song et al. 2018), when it comes to highly diverse and fragmented habitats like the Atlantic Rainforest, the presence of rare, threatened and yet to be discovered species should also weigh heavily in favor of protecting these environments. Pontal Island , a modest patch of vegetation with little more than 4 hectares, surrounded by housings and roads, is a perfect example of the hidden potential urban forests possess in terms of biodiversity.

    Since Pontal Island is within a protected area, it is very important that species lists are comprehensive as well as informative, shedding light on endemism rates and previously assessed levels of threat. Nearly all endangered species found in Pontal Island received threatened statuses due to their small occurrence areas (table 2). They are restricted to habitats that are heavily fragmented and interwoven with anthropic areas. The biggest extinction risk these species face is due to habitat loss, which, presently, can take many forms, from agricultural-driven deforestation, to impacts from urbanization and climate change (Manes et al. 2021). Furthermore, it appears that plant species that typically occur in rocky outcrops and restingas are disproportionately vulnerable, especially those with slow growth and drought-adaptation (Leão et al. 2014). Furthermore, five exotic species were found on Pontal Island , namely: Sansevieria trifasciata Prain (snake plant), Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. (air plant), Crotalaria pallida Aiton (rattlepod), Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (jambolan) and Oeceoclades maculata (Lindl.) Lind an African orchid. On Pontal Island , C. pallida and K. pinnata occur on rocky outcrops - habitats that are particularly vulnerable to biological invasion (Machado et al. 2020). S. trifasciata and O. maculata were found in the understory of the forest formation. For these species, propagation occurs mainly vegetatively, which makes eradication very difficult once they are established in the community (Machado et al. 2020). Syzygium cumini was found mainly around the borders near the landfill area, and did not occur in the inner part of the protected area.

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    Table 2
    List of threatened species found in Pontal Island, Parque Natural Municipal de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, during our survey from September 2021 to August 2022, and notes on their distribution.

    Species composition analysis - Previous studies investigating the floristic composition of island environments in southeastern Brazil mainly focused on marine islands. Two studies, Araujo & Oliveira (1987) and Barros et al. (2022), surveyed the flora of Ilha Grande (Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), a large continental island which is approximately 4500 times larger than Pontal Island, and found over 300 and 500 plant species, respectively. From these, only 41 species also occur in Pontal Island. Similarly, Bovini et al. (2014), surveyed the terrestrial flora of the Monumento Natural das Ilhas Cagarras (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), which has a total area of about 90 hectares (including the archipelago and adjacent marine area), with the largest islands being practically the same size as Pontal Island. They found 169 species in 60 families, with only 52 species in common with Pontal Island. Although we can find similarities in terms of taxa that are expected to stand out in stressful environments (i.e. Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, and Myrtaceae), it is clear that the flora from Pontal Island is quite distinct from that of marine islands. That is partly because, despite its name, Pontal Island is not, in fact, an island. Five decades ago, the landfill merged Pontal Island with the mainland, connecting it to the borders of Piratininga Lagoon. So perhaps, instead of comparing Pontal Island with marine islands near the coast, it is fair to think of it as sharing similarities with Restingas, Semideciduous and Ombrophilous forests from southeastern Brazil (figure 9).

    Figure 9
    Species richness found in Pontal Island, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil, relative to other preserved areas in Rio de Janeiro. PESET: Parque Nacional da Serra da Tiririca (PESET I: Machado et al., 2020; PESET II: Andreatta et al., 2008. PESET III: Barros, 2008). PARNIT: Parque Natural Municipal de Niterói - Morro da Viração (Oliveira, 2023). Island I: Monumento Natural das Ilhas Cagarras (Bovini et al., 2014). Island II: Ilha Grande (Barros et al., 2022). Rocky Outcrops: Serra do Mar, Ilha Santana, Macumba, Itanhangá and Morro da Urca (Meirelles et al., 1999). and CPD: Centre of Plant Diversity Cabo Frio (Araujo et al., 2009).

    Meirelles et al. (1999) conducted a survey of rocky outcrops in the State of Rio de Janeiro, in which eight areas were investigated, including two in the Serra do Mar (Araras and Madalena), one on a marine island (Santana), three in the capital of Rio de Janeiro (Macumba, Itanhangá, and Urca), and two in the urban region of Niterói (Morro do Imbuí and Costão de Itacoatiara). The study found a total of 85 species, with a predominance of Monocots. Results showed low compatibility with the species on Pontal Island, with only 15 species in common, accounting for 7.8% of the richness cataloged for our study area. Furthermore, considering only the Niterói rocky outcrops, Costão de Itacoatiara and Morro do Imbuí, which in the study had a richness of 27 and 26 species, respectively, only seven and eight species are shared with Pontal Island.

    Similar floristic surveys have been conducted in nearby protected areas from Niterói, which are officially categorized as Submontane Dense Ombrophilous Forests that typically grow on top of rocky outcrops (Andreata et al. 2008, Barros 2008, Machado et al. 2021, Oliveira, 2023). The surveyed area closest to Pontal Island is the Mirantes do Cunhambebe and Tapera trails on Morro da Viração, which is also part of PARNIT. There, Oliveira (2023) found 204 species of flowering plants, ferns, and lycophytes. Despite its proximity, the vegetation in Morro da Viração is denser and visibly distinct from Pontal Island. However, in certain areas of clearings and rocky outcrops where there is greater sunlight, wind influence, and shallower soils, the species composition and physiognomic aspect of the vegetation are similar. In total, the area shares about 30% (57) of the species with Pontal Island, including Anthurium coriaceum (Graham) G.Don, Begonia hirtella Link, Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis (Willd.) A.Berger, C. fernambucensis, C. compressus, Dichorisandra thyrsiflora J.C.Mikan, J. jasminoides, P. arrabidae, P. vimineum, and S. setaceus.

    The Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca (PESET), is a large protected area just west of PARNIT. Although the are is considered a Submontane Dense Ombrophilous Forest, according to Barros (2008), the vegetation exhibits scleromorphic features due to regional climatic conditions, shallow soils, and proximity to the sea, showing a floristic relationship closer to that found in Rio de Janeiro‘s coastal sand dunes, the restingas. The most comprehensive floristic survey of Angiosperms study carried out in the entire PESET (Barros 2008), found a total of 907 species. The study emphasized the vegetation of PESET’s rocky outcrops, including Alto Mourão, Costão de Itacoatiara, Morro das Andorinhas, Morro do Telegrafo, and Morro do Cordovil. In these areas, a total of 250 species were found, with 116 being exclusive to rocky outcrops. Out of the 250 species found in rocky outcrops, 56 were also recorded for Pontal Island. Two smaller studies focused on some of these areas of PESET. The first was Alto Mourão , one of the highest points in PESET, and its surrounding forest and restinga areas. The survey found 369 species of angiosperms, ferns, and lycophytes (Andreata 2008) 57 of which also occur in Pontal Island. The second was Morro das Andorinhas, a rocky outcrop area of approximately 110 hectares, reaching an altitude of 196 meters. The survey indicated a richness of 438 Angiosperm species, with 96 species also found on Pontal Island. This corresponds to half of the richness found on Pontal Island. Considering the surveys above, Morro das Andorinhas showed the highest number of shared species with Pontal Island.

    Since it is located very close to the shore, Pontal Island‘s vegetation is also expected to resemble, at some level, the vegetation of other coastal habitats from southeastern Brazil known as restingas. Previous studies have investigated the vegetation of portions of restinga in the Centre of Plant Diversity (CPD) Cabo Frio area, in Rio de Janeiro State (Sá 2002, Araujo et al. 2009, Sá & Araujo 2009, Cavalcanti 2009, Carvalho & Sá 2011). CPDs are recognized areas of biological importance due to their high plant diversity, high levels of endemism, and severely threatened species (Araujo et al. 2009). CPD Cabo Frio extends from the municipality of Maricá to Cabo Frio (Bohrer et al. 2009) and includes two protected areas (Reserva Ecológica Estadual de Jacarepiá and Área de Proteção Ambiental de Massambaba). Within this area, the rainfall index varies longitudinally, being wetter in the western portion (Maricá) and gradually becoming drier towards the eastern portion in Cabo Frio (Araujo et al. 2009, Bohrer et al. 2009). The survey with the highest species composition similarity was carried out in the middle portion of CPD Cabo Frio (Araujo et al. 2009) where 93 species, out of an astonishing 664, were also recorded in Pontal Island. Interestingly, Sapotaceae was one of the richest families in one of the surveys (Sá & Araujo 2009), whereas not a single species from this family was found in Pontal Island. Furthermore, Orchidaceae showed significant richness and was among the top six most representative families in of the studies (Araujo et al. 2009). However, the same is not observed for Pontal Island, which shares only the naturalized exotic O. maculata. The absence of orchids in Pontal Island could be related to its high frequency of visitors that may have decimated natural populations.

    When consulting the Flora e Funga do Brasil (2021) database, 67% of the species we have found in Pontal Island were known to occur in restingas and 77% in Ombrophilous Forests (figure 10). Eight species are endemic to restingas (Anthurium maricense Nadruz & Mayo, Aspidosperma pyricollum Müll.Arg., C. compressus, E. ovalifolium, P. coriacea, S. vitifolium, Tarenaya rosea (Vahl ex DC.) Soares Neto & Roalson and Temnadenia odorifera (Vell.) J.F.Morales) while nine are endemic to Ombrophilous Forests (E. candolleana, Eugenia pruniformis Cambess., Ficus cestrifolia Schott ex Spreng., Microgramma crispata (Fée) R.M.Tryon & A.F.Tryon, Muellera filipes (Benth.) M.J. Silva & A.M.G. Azevedo, M. hastifolia, P. prasinata, Peperomia rubricaulis (Nees) A.Dietr. and R. mesembryanthemoides). In contrast, 46% occur in Semideciduous Forests. Among these, only Solanum sublentum is endemic to this physiognomy.

    Figure 10
    Number of species found in Pontal Island, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brasil, according to vegetation types in which they are known to occur based on Flora e Funga do Brasil database. R: Restinga. SF: Seasonal Semideciduous Forest. OF: Dense Ombrophilous Forest. Others: other vegetation types found in Brazil.

    Conclusion

    Pontal Island is a protected area of great environmental and social relevance. Besides the scenic beauty of the unique Red Forest and many lookout points with views for Piratininga Lagoon and the surrounding hills, the island comprises archaeological sites of shell deposits, artisanal fishing, and is part of the touristic trails in the Oceanic Region of Niterói.

    In terms of species composition, the Pontal Island is mainly composed of species typically known to occur in Restingas and Ombrophilous Forests. The flora shares strong similarities with surrounding preserved areas, even more so than with other islands. Ten of the species found were classified as threatened with extinction to some degree according to the Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora (cncflora.jbrj.gov.br). In addition, five of the species are endemic to the State of Rio de Janeiro. Given these relatively high numbers considering the island‘s territorial area, Pontal Island is a priority area for conservation in the municipality of Niterói. Recent impacts caused by human activities such as urbanization, landfill and silting due to the opening of Camboatá Canal, pose a great risk of local biological diversity loss.

    Acknowledgements

    The authors would like to thank the Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - FAPERJ, for providing financial support through the Program, Apoio à Conservação da Biodiversidade: Coleções Biológicas do Estado do Rio De Janeiro - 2020” (COLBIO), EDITAL FAPERJ Nº 08/2020. We also want to thank the Secretaria de Meio Ambiente e Recursos Hídricos de Niterói, represented by Amanda Jevaux and all those who assisted us in the field especially Nelson José Monteiro (Seu Nelson).

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    Edited by

    • Editor Associado:
      Natália Macedo Ivanauskas

    Publication Dates

    • Publication in this collection
      22 Nov 2024
    • Date of issue
      2024

    History

    • Received
      09 Dec 2023
    • Accepted
      29 Apr 2024
    Creative Common - by 4.0
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