Morphological and physiological characteristics of two neotropical plants in veredas with different levels of drying

Resumo

Objective: The propose of this study was to investigate whether the species Copaifera
oblongifolia (Fabaceae) and Macairea radula (Melastomataceae), occurring in veredas with
different levels of drying, show differences in plant architecture (morphological traits) and
foliar compound levels (physiological characteristics). Methods: Sampling was conducted in
two veredas, which are Vereda da Almescla (preserved vereda) and Vereda do Peruaçu
(degraded vereda in an advanced drying stage) located in the northern region of Minas Gerais,
Brazil. Data on morphological traits (height, circumference above ground, and canopy width)
and foliar compounds (concentrations of chlorophyll, nitrogen, and flavonols) were collected
from 15 individuals of each species in each vereda. Results: The results showed that the
structural characteristics of the studied species did not differ between the analyzed veredas.
Similarly, foliar compounds did not exhibit significant differences in their concentrations
among the plants from the two veredas studied. Conclusion: These results suggest that the
water stress present in the veredas does not seem to influence the morphological characteristics
and foliar compounds of neotropical species. This is the first study evaluating the impacts of
vereda drying on morphological and physiological attributes of plants.