Databank floristics, phytogeography and environmental factors of the Brazilian Middle North Savannas

Neotropical savannas are distributed in the Brazilian territory under different phytophysiognomies. The richness of these landscapes is so variable that less than 15% of the diversity is maintained throughout its range. In order to understand the distribution patterns of Cerrado vegetation and the differentiation of northern ecotonal communities, we used a database of 482 communities, with accumulation of 1221 woody species. Similar composition patterns were calculated between “areal” floras (typical of each area), where the northern floristic concentrations stood out and a high β-diversity was evidenced by the formation of nine synareal floras. High turnover rates attest that a great number of protected areas in different regions are necessary for a comprehensive protection of species diversity, physiognomies and functionalities of cerrados. Environmental data were recorded from the investigated areas of the North and Northeast of Brazil. The results provide updated and complementary s...