Floristic Survey of the Area of Relevant Ecological Interest of Santa Helena, Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT
The National System of Conservation Units (SNUC) establishes that every Conservation Unit (UC) must have a management plan, a technical document that delineates it and sets the rules for use and management. However, several UCs lack this document or present it inadequately, for example, with incomplete floristic lists. Floristic surveys in UCs are essential to provide primary and quality data about local biodiversity. The objective of this study was to conduct a broad floristic survey of the Santa Helena Relevant Ecological Interest Area (ARIE-SH), a UC created by Itaipu Binacional in the 1980s in the western Paraná. The survey also aimed to provide data for the new Management Plan, currently being updated. The ARIE-SH covers approximately 1.480 hectares and it is located in the homonymous city, in the western state along the banks of the Paraná River on the border with Paraguay. The UC is situated in the Atlantic Forest domain and is covered by Seasonal Semideciduous Forest in various successional stages. Collections took place over 33 visits between November 2016 and September 2024 and are deposited in the SHPR herbarium with duplicates distributed in various collections. The samples were identified using specialized literature, comparisons with online herbaria exsiccates, and consultation with specialists. In addition, secondary data from other collections were sought in the JABOT and CRIA/speciesLink databases for the locality and added to the species list. The species were evaluated regarding their habit, origin, and conservation status. Additionally, the results were compared to the species list of the current Management Plan, from 2010. 214 species were found, distributed across 69 families, with emphasis on Fabaceae (25) and Asteraceae (13). Most of the species are herbaceous (31.78%), followed by arboreal (29.91%) and climbing (20.56%) habits. We recorded 201 native species, with 15 considered endemic to Brazil, and 13 exotic, of which ten are naturalized and three cultivated. Thirteen species are classified as threatened at the national and state levels. Compared to the current Management Plan, there are only 40 families and 31 species in common. This survey inventoried 183 previously unrecorded species, representing an increase of almost 100% compared with the current list. The results contributed to the knowledge of the local flora, and filled existing gaps in the floristic knowledge of the ARIE-SH. This study emphasizes the importance of updating floristic lists in management plans and of depositing of botanical material in herbaria as vouchers.