Floristic diversity of vascular epiphytes occurring at the Federal Rural University of the Amazon, Belém – PA

Abstract

Vascular epiphytes are an important component of tropical forest biodiversity and play essential ecological roles. This study aimed to characterize the floristic diversity and distribution patterns of vascular epiphytes at the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (UFRA), Belém–PA campus. Eleven plots of 200 × 10 m were sampled along 2.2 km, considering two vertical strata: tree trunks and canopies. A total of 17 species were identified, distributed among four families, with Orchidaceae and Bromeliaceae being the most representative. Tillandsia bulbosa and Aechmea sp. showed the highest abundance and broad vertical distribution. Most species were predominantly found in the canopy and all displayed aggregated distribution patterns, as indicated by the Morisita Index (Id > 1). The Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H' = 0.83) and Pielou’s evenness index (J = 0.29) were considered low, suggesting dominance by a few species and the influence of microclimatic constraints. It is concluded that vertical structure and environmental heterogeneity significantly affect the composition and abundance of epiphytes, and that urban forest fragments such as UFRA's campus can serve as important areas for conservation and epiphytic flora research.