Climate and his influence over the Atlantic Dense Rainforest distribution in the Prata Mountain Range, Morretes, Paraná, South Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize climatic aspects, focusing air temperature and relative humidity, as well as its influence to vegetation distribution in a slope of Prata Mountain Range, Morretes, Paraná, covered by Submontane and Montane formations of the Atlantic Rainforest. Between July of 2009 and June of 2010 meteorological data was collected, at 400 and 1,000 m a.s.l. The average temperature along this period was 19.0 ºC (400 m) and 16.3 ºC (1,000 m). The temperature lapse rate was 0.44 ºC/100 m. It was detected a climatic transition region at about 700 m a.s.l., with the Cfb type above, and the Cfa type below. The isotherm of the average temperature of 13 ºC in the coldest month, estimated for the region of about 800 m a.s.l., agrees with the inferior limit of the Montane formation, denoting influence of low temperatures in the vegetation distinction. The air relative humidity average was high, because the regular arrival of moist air masses from the ocean. The average of daily amplitude of temperature and relative humidity were very similar for both studied altitudes, denoting not apparent influence of the altitudinal variation to the daily variation of these climatic variables in the slope.