Vascular plant checklist in an area of extreme biological importance: filling gaps in the Caparaó National Park-ES, Brazil

Abstract Regional floristic lists are essential for defining biodiversity conservation strategies and are key to assist in filling knowledge gaps. They aim to provide a data source for applying tools to reduce extinction rates and to conserve ecosystems. Herein we present the results of an inventory of vascular plants in a rainforest in the Caparaó National Park (CNP) and approach their implications for conservation and management of this protected area and the surrounding communities. We conducted botanical expeditions between the years 2012 and 2017 in a montane and upper-montane forest of the CNP. We found 361 species distributed in 78 families and 181 genera. The study area is home to new species for science that have recently been described in other publications outside that location, and 4 new records for Espírito Santo State; also 43 species listed in different extinction threat categories (VU, EN and CR) and another 190 categorized with lesser concerns (LC and NT). The families with the highest species richness were: Melastomataceae (41 spp.), Lauraceae and Myrtaceae (30), Orchidaceae (26), Rubiaceae (24), and Asteraceae (20). Our results contribute to greater knowledge of the CNP flora, of the montane environments in Brazil and the vegetation of Espírito Santo state, in addition to demonstrate the importance of this protected area to the conservation Atlantic Forest biodiversity.

摘要：区域植物区系名录是制定生物多样性保护策略的核心依据，亦是填补认知空白的关键支撑。其旨在提供数据资源，以支撑相关工具的应用，从而降低物种灭绝速率、保护生态系统。本文报道了卡帕劳国家公园（Caparaó National Park, CNP）一处雨林的维管植物本底调查结果，并探讨其对该保护区及周边社区的保护与管理的启示。

我们于2012年至2017年间，在该公园的山地与亚山地森林中开展了植物学考察。本次调查共记录到隶属于78科181属的361种维管植物。本研究区域内包含近年于其他出版物中正式发表的科学新物种（此前未在该区域被记录），另有4种为埃斯皮里图州的新分布记录；同时有43种被纳入不同濒危等级（VU、EN与CR），190种被评估为低关注等级（LC与NT）。

物种丰富度位居前列的科依次为：野牡丹科（Melastomataceae，41种）、樟科（Lauraceae）与桃金娘科（Myrtaceae，各30种）、兰科（Orchidaceae，26种）、茜草科（Rubiaceae，24种）以及菊科（Asteraceae，20种）。本研究结果不仅深化了我们对卡帕劳国家公园植物区系、巴西山地生境以及埃斯皮里图州植被的认知，同时也凸显了该保护区对大西洋森林生物多样性保护的重要价值。