Campos Rupestres montane savanna
Campos Rupestres montane savanna, translating to "rocky grasslands," refers to a unique type of grassland and shrubland vegetation found primarily in the mountainous regions of eastern Brazil, particularly in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia. This ecosystem is typically located at altitudes above 2,625 feet (800 meters) on ancient Precambrian rock formations and serves as a transitional area between the Cerrado, Caatinga, and Atlantic Forest biomes. Characterized by extreme environmental conditions, the soil in these areas is shallow and often high in heavy metals, leading to distinctive plant adaptations such as reduced leaf size and dwarf-like growth forms.
Flora in the Campos Rupestres is notably diverse, featuring a high level of endemism, meaning many plant species are found nowhere else in the world. This ecosystem supports over two hundred bird species, including several hummingbirds and endangered mammals like the jaguar and maned wolf. However, the Campos Rupestres montane savanna is under threat from mining activities and urban development, with only a small portion of its area currently protected within conservation units. As a result, this rich and unique ecosystem remains vulnerable and is not widely recognized in international literature.
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Subject Terms
Campos Rupestres montane savanna
Category: Grassland, Tundra, and Human Biomes.
Geographic Location: South America.
Summary: The species-rich grasslands associated with rock outcrops in mountain ranges in eastern Brazil have a huge number of endemic plant species.
The Campos Rupestres—from the Portuguese, meaning “rocky grasslands”—are scattered in the mountain ranges of eastern Brazil and inserted into different biomes. Considered grassland/shrubland vegetation at an altitude of more than 2,625 feet (800 meters) above sea level in southeastern and northeastern Brazil, campo rupestre occurs principally in the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais and Bahia, on the ancient Precambrian rocks of the Serra do Espinhaço (Espinhaço Mountains), formed by the Chapada Diamantina (Diamantina Plateau) and the Cadeia de Espinhaço (Espinhaco Mountain Range). The term is sometimes used in a wider sense for grassland vegetation upon rock outcrops or on very shallow soils in other regions of Brazil (such as central and southern Brazil), but this definition is not the one adopted here.
Due to floristic and geomorphological differences, campos rupestres are distinct from campos de altitude (montane grasslands or altitude grasslands), which occur principally on mountaintops above 4,921 feet (1,500 meters) in the Serra do Mar mountain range. These campos de altitude are part of the Atlantic Forest biome, whereas the campos rupestres form a transition between the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna), Caatinga, and Atlantic Forest biomes. This transition is reflected in the species composition of campos rupestres vegetation. The terms campo rupestre and campos de altitude are not uniform among botanists or ecologists in Brazil, however. Recently, the researchers Ruy José Vàlka Alves and Jiří Kolbek synthesized the use of different terms and differentiated campos rupestres from other vegetation types in the region that have similar overall appearances.
Climatic conditions in the distribution range of campo rupestre are continental, with dry winters (July is the driest month), classified as Cwa in Köppen's system. Annual rainfall throughout the region with campo rupestre varies from less than 39 inches (1,000 millimeters) to more than 59 inches (1,500 millimeters). Campo rupestre occurs at sites with rock outcrops, mainly quartzite rocks and derived soils, but also on sites with arenite rocks or iron ore. Environmental conditions at these sites are rather extreme: Soil is shallow and often characterized by high concentrations of heavy metals, low organic-matter content and water availability coupled with high solar radiation.
The site conditions are reflected by morphological and physiological adaptations in the plant community: The leaves of many species are strongly reduced, succulent, leathery, or covered by leaf hairs. Many plants manage to retain heavy metals in their tissues, and the presence of ecotypes specific to the region, such as dwarf growth, is common in many species. Though a grassland formation, campo rupestre can contain a large number of shrubs or treelets, especially at rock outcrops. Physiognomically, some patches of campo rupestre may resemble savannas or even shrublands rather than grasslands. Usually, different formations are found in a mosaiclike fashion.
Flora
The region's flora are characterized, in general terms, by the high importance of species from the sunflower family (Asteraceae), the bromelia or pineapple family (Bromeliaceae), cactus (Cactaceea), sedge (Cyperaceae), pipewort (Eriocaulaceae), iris (Iridaceae), mint (Lamiaceae), legume (Leguminosae), myrtle (Myrtaceae), orchid (Orchidaceae), and grasses (Poaceae), among others.
Although campo rupestre grasslands are very species-rich, even by Brazilian standards, their high rates of endemism (species that are found nowhere else on Earth) are even more astonishing. Campos rupestres are considered to have the highest levels of plant endemism in Brazil, which may be a consequence of high speciation rates due to patchy distribution and isolation of vegetation. Examples of flowering plant families with large numbers of endemic species are Cactaceae, Eriocaulaceae, Velloziaceae, and Xyridaceae. The ecosystem as a whole has been recognized as a center of endemism for plants.
Fauna
Together, more than two hundred bird species have been cited for campos rupestres ecosystems. This includes many hummingbirds, with hallmark species such as the hyacinth visorbearer (Augastes scutatus) and hooded visorbearer (Augastes lumachella). Additional signature avian species are the lesser nothura (Nothura minor) and the crowned solitary eagle (Harpyhaliaetus coronatus).
The campos rupestre region is habitat for a range of mammals, including jaguar (Panthera onca), tiger cat (Leopardus tigrinus), maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurusi), bush dog (Speothos venaticus) and different bat species. Many of these species are endangered. The campo rupestre fauna also includes a number of reptiles, such as the lizards Tropidurus erythrocepalus and T. mucujensis. Characteristic amphibians include the frogs Proceratophrys cururu and Physalaemus deimaticus.
Conservation
The region where campo rupestre grasslands can be found has been exploited principally for mining diamonds and other ornamental stones since the region was first colonized. Today, mining is mostly for iron ore. These activities, together with other ventures (collection of ornamental plants, tourism, and urban development), constitute a threat to the species-rich and unique ecosystem, which is still poorly known, especially in the international literature. Currently, only a small part of the campos rupestres is included in conservation units, which further adds to the vulnerability of this ecosystem.
Bibliography
Alves, Ruy José Vàlka and Jiří Kolbek. “Can Campo Rupestre Vegetation be Floristically Delimited Based on Vascular Plant Genera?” Plant Ecology 207, no. 1 (2010).
Alves, Ruy José Vàlka and Jiří Kolbek. “Plant Species Endemism in Savanna Vegetation on Table Mountains (Campo Rupestre) in Brazil.” Plant Ecology 113, no. 2 (1994).
Fernandes, G. Wilson. "Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Campo Rupestre: A Road Map for the Sustainability of the Hottest Brazilian Biodiversity Hotspot." Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation, vol. 18, no. 4, Oct–Dec. 2020, pp. 213–222, doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2020.10.004. Accessed 25 July 2022.
Ribeiro, Katia Torres and Leandro Freitas. “Potential Impacts of Changes to Brazilian Forest Code in Campos Rupestres and Campos de Altitude.” Biota Neotropica 10, no. 4 (2010).
Vasconcelos, Marcelo Ferreira and Marcos Rodrigues. “Patterns of Geographic Distribution and Conservation of the Open-Habitat Avifauna of Southeastern Brazilian Mountaintops (Campos Rupestres and Campos de Altitude).” Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 50, no. 1 (2010).