The aim of this study was to evaluate the vegetation identity of local-scale ecotones and its importance to landscape biodiversity in a transition between savanna and forest vegetation types in Brazil. We surveyed the tree community (diameter at breast height ≥5 cm) within 25 plots of 400 m2 across three core vegetation types and two ecotones among them (totalling five vegetation types). We then evaluated similarities in species composition, community structure and phylogenetic diversity across the transitions in order to assess the relationship between the ecotones and the core areas. Ecotones were distinct floristic units with a high number of unique species and floristic and phylogenetic clustering, and hence these environments are additional vegetation types in relation to the core areas. Some species showed maximum abundance in ecotones, which harboured distinct ecological patterns, demonstrating the importance of the ecotones in the overall ecosystem. Results are related to the distribution of the species present in the regional pool across local-scale microhabitats, with ecotones being a product of a distinct environmental conditions resulting from the distinct adjacent biomes (savanna and forest), which enable the maintenance of biological diversity.

中文翻译：

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局部尺度的树木群落生态系统是不同的植被类型而不是混合类型：来自巴西塞拉多-大西洋森林生态系统区域的案例研究

本研究的目的是评估当地尺度交错带的植被特征及其对巴西热带稀树草原和森林植被类型过渡中景观生物多样性的重要性。我们调查了 25 个 400 平方米地块内的树木群落（胸高直径 ≥ 5 cm），跨越三种核心植被类型和其中的两个交错带（共五种植被类型）。然后，我们评估了过渡期间物种组成、群落结构和系统发育多样性的相似性，以评估交错带和核心区域之间的关系。交错带是独特的植物区系单元，具有大量独特的物种以及植物区系和系统发育集群，因此这些环境是与核心区域相关的额外植被类型。一些物种在交错带中表现出最大的丰度，具有独特的生态模式，证明了交错带在整个生态系统中的重要性。结果与区域池中存在的物种在当地规模的微生境中的分布有关，交错带是由不同的相邻生物群落（稀树草原和森林）产生的不同环境条件的产物，这使得维持生物多样性成为可能。