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Bacterial communities in drinking water provide a gauge to measure quality and confer insights into public health. In contrast to urban systems, water treatment in rural areas is not adequately monitored and could become a health risk. We performed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to analyze the microbiome present in the water treatment plants at two rural communities, one city, and the downstream water for human consumption in schools and reservoirs in the Andean highlands of Ecuador. We tested the effect of water treatment on the diversity and composition of bacterial communities. A set of physicochemical variables in the sampled water was evaluated and correlated with the structure of the observed bacterial communities. Predominant bacteria in the analyzed communities belonged to Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The Sphingobium genus, a chlorine resistance group, was particularly abundant. Of health concern in drinking water reservoirs were Fusobacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae; these families are associated with human and poultry fecal contamination. We propose the latter families as relevant biomarkers for establishing local standards for the monitoring of potable water systems in highlands of Ecuador. Our assessment of bacterial community composition in water systems in the Ecuadorian highlands provides a technical background to inform management decisions.

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This study aimed to develop maps for Fasciola hepatica infection occurrence in dairy cattle in the districts of Matahuasi and Baños in the Peruvian central highlands. For this, a model based on the correlation between environmental variables and the prevalence of infection was constructed. Flukefinder® coprological test were performed in samples from dairy cattle from 8 herds, during both the rainy and wet season. Grazing plots were geo-referenced to obtain information on environmental variables. Monthly temperature, monthly rainfall, elevation, slope, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), normalized difference water index (NDWI), distance to rivers, urban areas and roads were obtained by using remote sensor images and ArcGIS®. Multilayer perceptron Artificial Neural Networks modeling were applied to construct a predictive model for the occurrence of fasciolosis, based on the relationship between environmental variables and level of infection. Kappa coefficient (k > 0.6) was used to evaluate concordance between observed and forecasted risk by the model. Coprological results demonstrated an average prevalence from 20% to 100%, in Matahuasi, and between 0 and 87.5%, in Baños. A model with a high level of concordance between predicted and observed infection risk (k = 0.77) was obtained, having as major predicting variables: slope, NDWI, NDVI and EVI. Fasciolosis risk was categorized as low (p < 20%), medium (20% < p < 50%) and high (p ≥ 50%) level. Using ArcGIS 10.4.1, risk maps were developed for each risk level of fasciolosis. Maps of fasciolosis occurrence showed that 87.2% of Matahuasi area presented a high risk for bovine fasciolosis during the dry season, and 76.6% in the wet season. In contrast, 21.9% of Baños area had a high risk of infection during the dry season and 12.1% during the wet season. In conclusion, our model showed areas with high risk for fasciolosis occurrence in both districts during both dry and rainy periods. Slope, NDWI, NDVI and EVI were the major predictors for fasciolosis occurrence.

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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has demonstrated that Wastewater Based Epidemiology is a fast and economical alternative for monitoring severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at the community level in high-income countries. In the present study, wastewater from a city in the Peruvian Highlands, which lacks a wastewater treatment plant, was monitored for one year to assess the relationship between the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and the reported cases of COVID-19 in the community. Additionally, we compared the relationship between rotavirus (RV), norovirus genogroup II (NoV GGII), and human adenovirus (HAdV) with the number of reported cases of acute gastroenteritis. Before commencing the analysis of the samples, the viral recovery efficacy of three processing methods was determined in spiked wastewater with SARS-CoV-2. This evaluation demonstrated the highest recovery rate with direct analysis (72.2 %), as compared to ultrafiltration (50.8 %) and skimmed milk flocculation (5.6 %). Wastewater monitoring revealed that 72 % (36/50) of the samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, with direct analysis yielding the highest detection frequency and quantification of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, a strong correlation was observed between the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and the reported cases of COVID-19, mainly when we shift the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 by two weeks, which allows us to anticipate the onset of the fourth and fifth waves of the pandemic in Peru up to two weeks in advance. All samples processed using the skimmed milk flocculation method tested positive and showed high concentrations of RV, NoV GGII, and HAdV. In fact, the highest RV concentrations were detected up to four weeks before outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis reported in children under four years of age. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that periodic wastewater monitoring is an excellent epidemiological tool for surveillance and can anticipate outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, in low- and middle-income countries.

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Several Creole cattle biotypes can be found in the Andean highlands, and most of them are considered as being in risk of extinction. The main aim of the present study was to perform a phenotypic characterization of the Creole cattle in the Andean highlands using bio-morphometric measures and zoometric indices. Individuals from three different biotypes (Black 'Negro' (n = 57), Colour-Sided 'Callejón' (n = 20), and Brindle 'Atigrado' (n = 18)) from an experimental research center located in the Peruvian highlands were enrolled in the study. In total, seventeen morphometric parameters were evaluated and ten zoometric indices were calculated in each biotype. To test the relationship between biometric traits, correlation analyses were carried out between morphometric parameters. Differences were observed regarding different morphometric variables such as head length (HL) and rump length (RL) among cattle biotypes (p ≤ 0.05). The coefficient of variation (CV; %) regarding different morphometric parameters ranged between 11.32 for neck length (NL) and 3.63 for height at withers (HaW), which indicated low-moderate variability among morphometric variables. Differences were observed in the longitudinal pelvic index (LPI) when different zoometric indices were compared among biotypes (p ≤ 0.05). The CV regarding different zoometric indices, which ranged between 10.78 for the cephalic index (CEI) and 5.05 for LPI, indicated low variability among indices. No differences were observed in any other morphometric parameter or zoometric index among cattle biotypes or genders (p > 0.05). Finally, multiple correlations were observed between morphometric variables (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, it was determined that Peruvian Andean Creole cattle can be considered as a dairy-related biotype with a slight tendency for beef production (dual-purpose). The great homogeneity regarding zoometric characteristics among biotypes and genders may indicate that the Andean Creole cattle have been maintained quite isolated, avoiding the genetic influence of other foreign breeds. Finally, the phenotypic characterization including bio-morphometric measurements and zoometric indices obtained from the different Creole bovine biotypes is crucial in order to begin different conservation programs to preserve cattle breeds in the Peruvian Andean highlands.

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In the upper vegetation limit of the Andes, trees change to shrub forms or other life forms, such as low scrubs. The diversity of life forms decreases with elevation; tree life forms generally decrease, and communities of shrubs and herbs increase in the Andean highlands. Most of treeline populations in the northwestern Argentina Altiplano are monospecific stands of Polylepis tarapacana, a cold-tolerant evergreen species that is able to withstand harsh climatic conditions under different life forms. There are no studies for P. tarapacana that analyze life forms across environmental and human impact gradients relating them with environmental factors. This study aims to determine the influence of topographic, climatic, geographic and proxies to human uses on the occurrence of life forms in P. tarapacana trees. We worked with 70 plots, and a new proposal of tree life form classification was presented for P. tarapacana (arborescent, dwarf trees, shrubs and brousse tigrée). We describe the forest biometry of each life form and evaluate the frequency of these life forms in relation to the environmental factors and human uses. The results show a consistency in the changes in the different life forms across the studied environmental gradients, where the main changes were related to elevation, slope and temperature.

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The Neotropics have recently emerged as an important region for studies of tropical ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. Specific neotropical areas with high ECM host tree densities have ECM fungal diversities rivaling those of higher-latitude forests. Some forests of the Guiana Shield are dominated by endemic ECM trees of the Fabaceae, including species of Dicymbe (subfam. Detarioideae), Aldina (subfam. Papilionoideae), and Pakaraimaea (Cistaceae). One of the most species-rich ECM fungal families present in each of these systems is Russulaceae. Long-term sampling in forests in Guyana's Pakaraima Mountains has revealed a number of species of the Russulaceae genera Lactarius, Lactifluus, and Russula. In this study, we document a previously unknown, distinct lineage of Lactarius subg. Plinthogalus containing eight species from the Guiana Shield. Here, we describe five of these species from Guyana as new to science: Lactarius humiphilus, Lactarius mycenoides, Lactarius guyanensis, Lactarius dicymbophilus, and Lactarius aurantiolamellatus. Morphological descriptions, habit, habitat, and known distribution are provided for each new species. Sequence data for the barcode internal transcribed spacer (ITS) locus are provided for types and most other collections of the new taxa, and a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS, 28S, and RPB2 (second-largest subunit of the RNA polymerase II) loci across the genus Lactarius corroborates their morphology-based infrageneric placement. The discovery of this lineage changes our insights into the biogeography and evolutionary history of Lactarius subg. Plinthogalus.

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The diversity of microorganisms associated with speleological sources has mainly been studied in limestone caves, while studies in silicate caves are still under development. Here, we profiled the microbial diversity of opal speleothems from a silicate cave in Guiana Highlands. Bulk DNAs were extracted from three speleothems of two types, i.e., one soft whitish mushroom-like speleothem and two hard blackish coral-like speleothems. The extracted DNAs were amplified for sequencing the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene by MiSeq. A total of 210,309 valid reads were obtained and clustered into 3184 phylotypes or operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The OTUs from the soft whitish speleothem were mostly affiliated with Acidobacteriota, Pseudomonadota (formerly, Proteobacteria), and Chloroflexota, with the OTUs ascribed to Nitrospirota being found specifically in this speleothem. The OTUs from the hard blackish speleothems were similar to each other and were mostly affiliated with Pseudomonadota, Acidobacteriota, and Actinomycetota (formerly, Actinobacteria). These OTU compositions were generally consistent with those reported for limestone and silicate caves. The OTUs were further used to infer metabolic features by using the PICRUSt bioinformatic tool, and membrane transport and amino acid metabolism were noticeably featured. These and other featured metabolisms may influence the pH microenvironment and, consequently, the formation, weathering, and re-deposition of silicate speleothems.

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Low arbuscular-mycorrhizal (AM) sporulation in arid field soils limits our knowledge of indigenous species when diversity studies are based only on spore morphology. Our aim was to use different approaches (i.e., spore morphological approach and PCR-SSCP (single-strand-conformation-polymorphism) analysis after trap plant multiplication strategies to improve the knowledge of the current richness of glomalean AM fungi (Glomerales; Glomeromycota) from the Argentine Puna. Indigenous propagules from two pristine sites at 3870 and 3370 m of elevation were multiplied using different host plants; propagation periods (2-6 months), and subculture cycles (1; 2; or 3) from 5 to 13 months. The propagule multiplication experiment allowed the detection of different glomoid taxa of Funneliformis spp. and Rhizoglomus spp., which were considered cryptic species since they had never been found in Puna soils before. On the other hand; almost all the generalist species previously described were recovered from cultures; except for Glomus ambisporum. Both plant host selection and culture times are critical for Glomerales multiplication. The SSCP analysis complemented the morphological approach and showed a high variability of Glomus at each site; revealing the presence of Funneliformis mosseae. This study demonstrates that AMF trap culture (TC) is a useful strategy for improving the analysis of AM fungal diversity/richness in the Argentinean highlands.

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We describe a new species of the Scinax ruber clade from Northeastern Brazil that occurs in widely separated geographic areas in the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia state and the Highland Humid Forest of Serra de Baturité, northeast Ceará state. Scinax tropicalia sp. nov. (holotype coordinates: -14.795694°, -39.172645°) is diagnosed from all 75 currently recognize species of the S. ruber clade by bioacoustical and morphological adult traits, such as duration (0.11-0.31 s) and dominant frequency (1.59-1.85 kHz) of the advertisement call, snout shape rounded, nearly rounded, or semi-circular in dorsal view and rounded to slightly protruding in profile, bilobate vocal sac, absence of pectoral glands and spicule-shaped papillary epidermal projections on nuptial pads, and color pattern on the dorsum of body and hidden surfaces of hindlimbs.

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Heliamphora is a genus of carnivorous pitcher plants endemic to the Guiana Highlands with fragmented distributions. We present a well resolved, time-calibrated, and comprehensive Heliamphora phylogeny estimated using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood based on nuclear genes (26S, ITS, and PHYC) and secondary calibration. We used stochastic mapping to infer ancestral states of morphological characters and ecological traits. Our ancestral state estimations revealed that the pitcher drainage structures characteristic of the genus transformed from a hole to a slit in single clade, while other features (scape pubescence and hammock-like growth) have been gained and lost multiple times. Habitat was similarly labile in Heliamphora, with multiple transitions from the ancestral highland habitats into the lowlands. Using a Mantel test, we found closely related species tend to be geographically closely distributed. Placing our phylogeny in a historical context, major clades likely emerged through both vicariance and dispersal during the Miocene with more recent diversification driven by vertical displacement during the Pleistocene glacial-interglacial thermal oscillations. Despite the dynamic climatic history experienced by Heliamphora, the temperature changes brought by global warming pose a significant threat, particularly for those species at the highest elevations.

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The Mexican highlands are areas of high biological complexity where taxa of Nearctic and Neotropical origin and different population histories are found. To gain a more detailed view of the evolution of the biota in these regions, it is necessary to evaluate the effects of historical tectonic and climate events on species. Here, we analyzed the phylogeographic structure, historical demographic processes, and the contemporary period, Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and Last Interglacial (LIG) ecological niche models of Quercus castanea, to infer the historical population dynamics of this oak distributed in the Mexican highlands. A total of 36 populations of Q. castanea were genotyped with seven chloroplast microsatellite loci in four recognized biogeographic provinces of Mexico: the Sierra Madre Occidental (western mountain range), the Central Plateau, the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB, mountain range crossing central Mexico from west to east) and the Sierra Madre del Sur (SMS, southern mountain range). We obtained standard statistics of genetic diversity and structure and tested for signals of historical demographic expansions. A total of 90 haplotypes were identified, and 29 of these haplotypes were restricted to single populations. The within-population genetic diversity was high (mean h S = 0.72), and among-population genetic differentiation showed a strong phylogeographic structure (N ST = 0.630 > G ST = 0.266; p < .001). Signals of demographic expansion were identified in the TMVB and the SMS. The ecological niche models suggested a considerable percentage of stable distribution area for the species during the LGM and connectivity between the TMVB and the SMS. High genetic diversity, strong phylogeographic structure, and ecological niche models suggest in situ permanence of Q. castanea populations with large effective population sizes. The complex geological and climatic histories of the TMVB help to explain the origin and maintenance of a large proportion of the genetic diversity in this oak species.

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Mitonuclear discordance is a frequently encountered pattern in phylogeographic studies and occurs when mitochondrial and nuclear DNA display conflicting signals. Discordance among these genetic markers can be caused by several factors including confounded taxonomies, gene flow, and incomplete lineage sorting. In this study, we present a strong case of mitonuclear discordance in a species complex of toads (Bufonidae: Incilius coccifer complex) found in the Chortís Block of Central America. To determine the cause of mitonuclear discordance in this complex, we used spatially explicit genetic data to test species limits and relationships, characterize demographic history, and quantify gene flow. We found extensive mitonuclear discordance among the three recognized species within this group, especially in populations within the Chortís Highlands of Honduras. Our data reveal nuclear introgression within the Chortís Highlands populations that was most probably driven by cyclical range expansions due to climatic fluctuations. Though we determined introgression occurred within the nuclear genome, our data suggest that it is not the key factor in driving mitonuclear discordance in the entire species complex. Rather, due to a lack of discernible geographic pattern between mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as a relatively recent divergence time of this complex, we concluded that mitonuclear discordance has been caused by incomplete lineage sorting. Our study provides a framework to test sources of mitonuclear discordance and highlights the importance of using multiple marker types to test species boundaries in cryptic species.

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Vertebrate ectotherms may deal with changes of environmental temperatures by behavioral and/or physiological mechanisms. Reptiles inhabiting tropical highlands face extreme fluctuating daily temperatures, and extreme values and intervals of fluctuations vary with altitude. Anolis heterodermus occurs between 1800 m to 3750 m elevation in the tropical Andes, and is the Anolis species found at the highest altitude known. We evaluated which strategies populations from elevations of 2200 m, 2650 m and 3400 m use to cope with environmental temperatures. We measured body, preferred, critical maximum and minimum temperatures, and sprint speed at different body temperatures of individuals, as well as operative temperatures. Anolis heterodermus exhibits behavioral adjustments in response to changes in environmental temperatures across altitudes. Likewise, physiological traits exhibit intrapopulation variations, but they are similar among populations, tended to the "static" side of the evolution of thermal traits spectrum. The thermoregulatory behavioral strategy in this species is extremely plastic, and lizards adjust even to fluctuating environmental conditions from day to day. Unlike other Anolis species, at low thermal quality of the habitat, lizards are thermoconformers, particularly at the highest altitudes, where cloudy days can intensify this strategy even more. Our study reveals that the pattern of strategies for dealing with thermal ambient variations and their relation to extinction risks in the tropics that are caused by global warming is perhaps more complex for lizards than previously thought.

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The dry season in central Mexico is a difficult time for small-scale dairy systems to meet feed requirements for their herds as pasture growth is limited. Conserved forage options are needed to complement pastures. The objective was to assess on-farm the production of dairy cows complemented with triticale silage (X. Triticosecale Witt. (TSL)) at two levels of inclusion (5.0 and 7.5 kg DM/d), grazing pastures of two grass species during the dry season: perennial ryegrass (PRG; Lolium perenne) or tall fescue (TFC; Lolium arundinaceum) (TFC) with white clover (Trifolium repens), and 4.65 kg DM/d concentrate. Experimental design was a 2 × 2 factorial in repeated 4 × 4 Latin squares. Chemical composition of TSL was 96 g CP/kg DM, 667 g NDF/kg DM, 713 g in vitro enzymatic digestibility of OM (IVEDOM)/kg DM, and pH of 4.6. There were differences (P < 0.05) in net herbage accumulation (NHA) and sward height between pastures, with higher NHA in TFC than that in PRG, although the chemical composition of PRG was higher (P < 0.05) in PC, IVEDOM, and estimated ME. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in milk yield (12.3 ± 2.63 kg/cow/day), milk compositions (33.1 ± 0.45 g milkfat/kg, 41 33.3 ± 0.21 g milk protein/kg, 47.9 ± 0.36 g lactose/kg, and 10.47 ± 2.25 mg MUN/dL), body condition score (2.4 ± 0.22), or live weight (490 ± 72.8 kg). At a higher inclusion of TSL, there was lower intake of pasture. Inclusion of 5.0 kg DM/cow/day of triticale silage better complements grazing and sustains moderate milk yields when pasture growth and intake are limited.

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Chuquiraga jussieui J.F.Gmel is grown between 3000 and 5000 meters above sea level throughout the Andean region of Ecuador and used by the indigenous populations of the Andes for medicinal purposes. Here, we determined the total phenolic, flavonoids, vitamin C and carotenoids content of the leaves and flowers of Ch. jussieui J.F.Gmel from different highlands of Ecuador as well as the capacity of a crude methanolic extract from the both parts of the plant to scavenge free radicals and protect red blood cell membranes from lipid oxidation. The leaves showed a high bioactive compound content in comparison to the flowers. The crude extract from the leaves proved to be more effective than the flowers in reducing iron and scavenging the DPPH, O2- and H2O2 radicals, as well as in protecting cellular membrane against lipid oxidation, demonstrating that Ch. jussieui J.F.Gmel represents an important source of bioactive compounds with relevant healthy properties.

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BACKGROUND: The nutrition transition continues to affect populations throughout the world. The added impact of market integration and urbanization exacerbates the impact of the nutrition transition upon Indigenous populations worldwide. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the nutritional concerns of the urban Kichwas community residing in the Andes highlands of Ecuador. STUDY DESIGN: This is a qualitative study. METHODS: Eight focus groups were conducted with Kichwas men and women in November 2015 in the Imbabura province of the Andes in Ecuador. DATA ANALYSIS: Applied thematic analysis was used to analyze findings regarding nutrition. RESULTS: The participants shared concerns regarding increased intake of fast food, poor meal timing, and a shift in the child's food preferences that rejects traditional foods. They attributed these concerns to urbanization resulting from an increase in dual-income households and a loss of cultural identity. CONCLUSIONS: Synergistic cultural factors are related to nutritional concerns voiced by the urban Kichwas community. PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS: Syndemic theory is a useful interpretive lens regarding nutritional trends within the Kichwas communities as they relate to the increased risk of chronic disease.

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Different genetic patterns have been demonstrated for narrowly distributed taxa, many of them linking rarity to evolutionary history. Quite a few species in young genera are endemics and have several populations that present low variability, sometimes attributed to geographical isolation or dispersion processes. Assessing the genetic diversity and structure of such species may be important for protecting them and understanding their diversification history. In this study, we used microsatellite markers and plastid sequences to characterize the levels of genetic variation and population structure of two endemic and restricted species that grow in isolated areas on the margin of the distribution of their respective genera. Plastid and nuclear diversities were very low and weakly structured in their populations. Evolutionary scenarios for both species are compatible with open-field expansions during the Pleistocene interglacial periods and genetic variability supports founder effects to explain diversification. At present, both species are suffering from habitat loss and changes in the environment can lead these species towards extinction.

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This study aims to evaluate the evapotranspiration (EVP) rate of the willow species Salix humboldtiana to be used as a plant species for evapotranspirative willow system (EWS) to treat domestic wastewater in highland climate conditions in Latin America. Twelve lysimeters were installed in Bogotá, Colombia (2,600 m.a.s.l.). Two parameters were evaluated to determine the effect on EVP rate as follows: (a) the plant's age at the plantation time (one year or six months), and (b) the type of water (domestic wastewater or fertilized water). The plant's age was the most important parameter influencing the EVP rate. In addition, the growth of plants was similar (p > 0.05) between individuals irrigated with domestic wastewater and fertilized water. Thus, Salix humboldtiana over one-year-old was recommended to be used in EWS because its EVP rate of 1456 mm y-1, can treat 372 mm y-1 of domestic wastewater under the highland climate conditions. Finally, one EWS planted with Salix humboldtiana to treat domestic wastewater for a Colombian family located in these climate conditions would need an area of 400 m2. This value for area, although similar to other parts of the world, is higher when considering the solar radiation in tropical or sub-tropical climate conditions.

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AIM: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Oestrus ovis in sheep meant for meat commercialization in the main slaughterhouse of the country. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2015 and December 2015, we assessed the occurrence of Oestrus myiasis in the main slaughterhouse localized in Quito. In total, 80 sheep heads were randomly inspected and necropsied. Larvae were removed from nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses and cleaned. ANOVA (generalized linear model) was used to estimate the relationship between sex, age, and place of origin and presence or absence of parasite larvae. RESULTS: Morphological identification confirmed that 19% (15/80) of the examined animals were positive for Oestrus ovis; from the positive cases, 21% were young animals <12 months old. We found that statistical differences by animal sex, males, were most infested 93% (14/15) than females 7% (1/15). Larvae's L2 were more abundant than other stages (62 of the total 149). 14 of the infested animals were from the Andean places at > 2500 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.), and only one case from the coastal region at 250 m.a.s.l. with tropical environmental conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed evidence of the presence of myiasis caused by O. ovis in Andean and coastal places in Ecuador and its adaptation to different environmental conditions from that reported previously in temperate regions from Europe and Africa.

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Aunque los campos rupestres son afloramientos rocosos icónicos con un alto valor biogeográfico en las tierras altas de Brasil, se sabe poco sobre los modeladores responsables de los patrones de comunidades vegetales. Estudiamos la diversidad y las formas de vida de los componentes leñosos y herbáceos que se encuentran a lo largo de diferentes fitofísionomías de los complejos rocosos de cuarcita en las tierras altas del Quadrilátero Ferrífero brasileño, Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Se realizaron un total de 130 parcelas en tres fitofisionomías a lo largo del gradiente pedogeomorfológico: i) campo rupestre herbáceo; ii) estratos superior e inferior del bosque montano (capão florestal) y iii) matorral. En general, se muestrearon 4 446 individuos, distribuidos en 218 especies, especialmente de familias: Asteraceae y Myrtaceae en la comunidad de leñosas; y Poaceae y Cyperaceae, en la comunidad herbácea. La diversidad de especies, las formas de vida y la abundancia mostraron marcadas diferencias entre las fitofisionomías. La forma de vida más frecuente fue la fanerófita (bosque de montaña y matorral), seguida de hemicriptófita (campo rupestre herbáceo). Nuestro estudio revela diferencias marcadas de la composición florística, la riqueza y el espectro de las formas de vida entre fitofisionomías en los complejos rocosos a escala local. Tales diferencias probablemente indican que existe una alta heterogeneidad ambiental en pequeñas escalas espaciales.

Although campos rupestres are iconic rock outcrops with a high biogeographic value in Brazilian highlands, little is known about the drivers responsible for the plant community pattern. We studied the diversity and life forms of the woody and herbaceous components occurring along different phytophysiognomies of the quartzite rocky complexes in highlands of the Quadrangle, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. A total of 130 plots were allocated in three phytophysiognomies along the pedogeomorphological gradient: i) herbaceous campo rupestre; ii) upper and lower strata of montane forest (capão florestal) and iii) scrub. Overall, 4 446 individuals were sampled, distributed among 218 species, especially from families: Asteraceae, in general; Myrtaceae, in the woody community; and Poaceae and Cyperaceae, in the herbaceous community. Species diversity, life forms, and abundance showed differences between phytophysiognomies. The most frequent life form was phanerophyte (montane forest and scrub), followed by hemicryptophyte (herbaceous campo rupestre). Our study reveals marked differences in the floristic composition, species richness, and life form spectrum among phytophysiognomies on a local scale. Such differences probably indicate that there is a high environmental heterogeneity at a small spatial scale.