Exotic woody plants in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, southernmost Brazil

By

Venzke, Tiago Schuch Lemos
Mattei, Vilmar Luciano
Da Costa, Maria Antonieta Décio

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018-2-2

Original Publication

Check list : journal of species lists and distribution

Volume

14

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

203--211

Subjects

Alien species , Biodiversity , floristic , invasive species , non-native plants , Seasonal semideciduous forest , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

[São Paulo, Brazil] Luís Felipe Toledo 2005-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15560/14.1.203

 

Abstract

Exotic species are spreading in various parts of the planet and sometimes becoming biological invaders. A floristic survey was carried out to find exotic trees, shrubs, and climbers in different communities in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. The traversal method was used at 26 sites. The richness totaled 26 species in 22 genera and 17 families. There are 19 trees, 5 arborescents, 1 shrub, and 1 climber. Most of the exotic species are already naturalized in the study area. Between 1 and 10 individuals sporadically occur at each site. For species of characteristically invasive exotic plants were observed, including 3 trees (Pinus elliottii Engel, Pinus taeda L. Engelm., and Pittosporum undulatum Vent.) and 1 shrub (Ulex europaeus L.). A continuous monitoring of exotic flora is needed to eliminate or control invasive plant species and to avoid economic and ecological damage to ecosystems.