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Few ecologists and evolutionary biologists are familiar with the ecology and evolution of the campo rupestre, an ancient azonal peinobiome characterized by a fire-prone, nutrient-impoverished, montane vegetation mosaic, home to thousands of endemics and climate refugia. With the goal of providing a synthetic view of the campo rupestre, we provide a brief historical account of the biological research, revisit its geographical distribution and identify knowledge gaps. The azonal campo rupestre is distributed as isolated and naturally fragmented sky islands, mostly in Central and Eastern Brazil and in the Guyana Shield, with significant areas across the Amazon, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga and Pantanal. Our proposal to elevate campo rupestre to the level of biome is expected to improve communication among scientists and consolidate the use of the term campo rupestre in the ecological and evolutionary literature, as is the case for analogous ecosystems, such as kwongan, fynbos, páramos and tepuis. Based on the identification of knowledge gaps, we propose a research programme comprising ten key topics that can foster our understanding of the ecology and evolution of campo rupestre and, potentially, support conservation strategies.

We examine scientific evidence underpinning the application of the Atlantic Forest Act (AFA) to licensing and compensation in campo rupestre, a megadiverse grassland strongly affected by mining but lacking specific legislation. We found no empirical support to the assumptions of the current legislation. First, lists of indicators species are not appropriate to indicate successional stages in campo rupestre. Second, the reliance on successional stages of regeneration in this ecosystem as recommended by legislation has no empirical support. Using the AFA instead of a specific policy to campo rupestre has led to significant area loss of this vegetation type. We conclude that inadequate legislation enforcement poses a threat to biodiversity and conservation of the campo rupestre. We recommend the environmental agencies to immediately stop using current legislation (CONAMA Resolution 423/2010) in environmental licensing processes and provide suggestions for the elaboration of specific legislation that addresses the peculiarities and importance of campo rupestre.

Global sustainability rests on a myriad of benefits provided by natural ecosystems that support human livelihoods and well-being, from biodiversity persistence to climate regulation. The undeniable importance of conserving tropical forests has drawn most of the conservation spotlight towards it. However, open ecosystems such as the Brazilian Campo Rupestre (rupestrian grassland), have been historically overlooked despite their high diversity and key associated ecosystem services. We highlight major current threats to the persistence of the Campo Rupestre emphasizing its ecological, social, cultural, geo-environmental, and economic importance. We call attention to the importance of the Campo Rupestre as a reservoir of biodiversity and ecosystem services and offer priority actions that resulted from discussions involving scientists, industry representatives, environmental managers, and other members of civil society. Proposed actions include efforts related to ecological restoration, sustainable ecotourism, protection of traditional ecological knowledge, identification of emerging research questions, and development of tailored public policies. Such issues are integrated into a framework that collectively represents a road map to safeguard the Campo Rupestre from further degradation and steer its historical overexploitation towards sustainable management. Safeguarding the future of non-forest biomes like this poses a challenge to current paradigms of nature conservation. By establishing priorities and guidelines, we propose an actionable plan, which we hope can support informed decision-making policy towards a sustainable use of the Campo Rupestre. Long Term Ecological Research PELD-CRSC-17 Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas CNPq/MCTI Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo 2013/50155-0, 2010/51307-0, 2019/07773-1

Syagrus glaucescens is an endemic palm found in the rupestrian grasslands of the Espinhaço Mountains in southeastern Brazil. It is highly associated with quartzitic soils and exhibits strong intra-specific morphological variation in the different areas where it occurs. Allometric traits were used to verify whether there are any significant differences in the morphological traits between populations of this species located in two distinct areas. In the region of the Serra do Cipó individuals exhibit decumbent stems whereas on the Diamantina Plateau stems are straight and perpendicular to the ground. Soil quality was related to plant morphological traits to test the hypothesis that allometric variation is influenced by soil nutritional differences. Stem shape and size differed significantly among individuals inhabiting the two different regions: individuals in Serra do Cipó were shorter and had fewer leaves compared to individuals found in the Diamantina Plateau. Water retention capacity and nutrient absorption of the soils of the two sites were markedly different. In Serra do Cipó the soils were more acid, with higher aluminum saturation and lower sand content compared to the soils in Diamantina. These traits correlated with stem shape and indicate that soil acidity and aluminum saturation influence the architecture of S. glaucescens.

EnglishAbstract Syagrus glaucescens is an endemic and threatened palm from the rupestrian field of the Espinhaco Range, Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fire effect on the vegetative and reproductive phenology of S. glaucescens. It was tested the hypothesis that the occurrence of fire can affect the phenological patterns exhibited by this species. The study began after six months of fire occurrence. A total of 40 individuals were marked and observed monthly, 20 in a burned area (Queimado group) and 20 in an unburned adjacent area (Controle group), located in rupestrian fields areas of Serra do Cipo (MG). The analysis of phenophases was performed using the index of activity and the Fournier’s percent index of intensity. Leaf flushing and leaf fall were synchronous among the individuals of the two populations, during the studied period. The production of flowers and fruits on S. glaucescens was asynchronous for the most part of the time. However, in both studied areas most individuals were blooming during the dry season and fruiting in the rainy season. Rainfall seems to be the main factor determining the observed phenological patterns, and was significantly correlated with some phenophases of both burned and control groups. The burned plants flowered and fruited before the control group, and also produced a higher number of flowers and fruits, suggesting that fire may affect the phenology of this palm. portuguesSyagrus glaucescens e uma palmeira de pequeno porte, ameacada de extincao e endemica dos campos rupestres da Cadeia do Espinhaco, em Minas Gerais. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito do fogo na fenologia vegetativa e reprodutiva de S. glaucescens. Foi testada a hipotese de que a ocorrencia do fogo altera os ritmos fenologicos exibidos por esta especie. O estudo teve inicio seis meses apos a ocorrencia do fogo. Foram marcados e observados, mensalmente, 20 individuos na area queimada (grupo Queimado) e 20 em uma area de controle adjacente (grupo Controle), localizados em areas de campo rupestre da Serra do Cipo (MG). A analise das fenofases foi feita pelos metodos de indice de atividade e percentual de intensidade de Fournier. O brotamento e a senescencia foliar foram constantes e sincronicos entre os individuos das populacoes em praticamente todo o periodo estudado. A producao de flores e frutos em S. glaucescens foi assincronica na maior parte do tempo. Entretanto, de uma forma geral, nos dois grupos avaliados, pode-se observar maior percentual de individuos florescendo na estacao seca e frutificando na estacao chuvosa. A precipitacao parece ser o principal fator determinante na definicao dos padroes fenologicos, pois obteve correlacao significativa com varias fenofases em ambos os grupos, Controle e Queimado. O grupo Queimado floresceu e frutificou antes do grupo Controle, alem de ter produzido maior numero de flores e frutos, sugerindo que o fogo afeta a fenologia desta palmeira.

This study tests the use of accessible geoprocessing techniques to identify and describe the distribution of Syagrus glaucescens , a threatened palm shrub endemic to rupestrian fields (high-altitude grasslands) of the southern Espinhaco Range, in Minas Gerais, Brazil. A hundred and ninety five occurrence points and 24 absence points of S. glaucescens were recorded on a GPS device during field trips. Free databases of eight abiotic variables for the surveyed area were also used. Ninety-eight of the occurrence points were used to generate a spectral signature in ArcView to identify variables best characterizing S. glaucescens ’ distribution area and produce a probability map. The species’ distribution was strongly associated to rocky outcrops whose geological composition is Quartzite Filite and Conglomerates, above 1.000 m of altitude, with declivities of 5-30%. When the accuracy of the probability map was tested, 87.63% of the 97 occurrence points used fitted areas of very high occurrence probability on the map, while 100% of the 24 non-occurrence points matched areas of null probability; therefore confirming the high accuracy of the model in predicting the occurrence of S. glaucescens . Although the altitudinal grasslands of Espinhaco are areas of great biodiversity and high degree of plant species endemism, they remain poorly studied. Thus, this model can be a helpful tool in designing management and conservation strategies not only for S. glaucescens but also for other species associated to rocky outcrops of such environment. Key words: rupestrian fields, rocky outcrops, habitat modeling.