– We analyzed the level of disturbance and related bromeliad richness and diversity in 15 coastal sand dune habitats (" restingas ") of the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil, along 1,500 km, covering the states of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and Bahia.. The restingas varied greatly in disturbance level, but most fit under at least one type of disturbance. Bromeliad richness and diversity also varied accordingly , with the relationships between bromeliad species richness and disturbance level and between bromeliad diversity and disturbance being both negative. This indicates that bromeliads are strongly affected by human disturbance in restinga habitats. Bromeliads are organisms particularly important for the biodiversity of the ecosystem they live in, due to the increase of available microhabitats within the bromeliad for the establishment of fauna and flora. The increasing degradation of restinga habitats results in a loss of bromeliad species and because bromeliads directly affect many other forms of life, such loss results in a decrease of a large portion of biodiversity in Atlantic Rainforest habitat. Resumo – Estudamos a relação entre o nível de distúrbio e a riqueza e diversidade de espécies de bromélias em 15 restingas da Mata Atlântica do Brasil, ao longo dos 1.500 km do litoral, incluindo os Estados do Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo e Bahia. As restingas estão sob diferentes níveis de distúr-bio, mas a maioria se enquadrou em no mínimo um tipo de distúrbio. A riqueza e a diversidade de bromélias também variou entre as restingas, e a relação entre a riqueza de bromélias e o nível de dis-túrbio foi negativa, assim como a relação entre a diversidade de bromélias e o distúrbio. Isto indica que as bromélias são afetadas pelos distúrbios antrópicos ocorridos nas restingas. Bromélias são organis-mos particularmente importantes para a biodiversidade do ecossistema no qual estão inseridas, pois promovem o aumento de microhabitats disponíveis na bromélia para o estabelecimento da fauna e da flora. O aumento da degradação das restingas resulta na perda de espécies de bromélias, e a perda destas, por sua vez, ocasionam a diminuição de uma grande porção da biodiversidade deste hábitat da Mata Atlântica, pois as bromélias afetam diretamente muitas outras formas de vida. Palavras-chave: degradação de restingas, redução da biodiversidade, riqueza de bromélias.

(Spatial distribution and preferential substrate of Neoregelia johannis (Carriére) L. B. Smith (Bromeliaceae) in a disturbed area of Atlantic Rainforest at Ilha Grande, RJ, Brazil). In bromeliad populations, amount of light and available substrates influence individuals spatial organization. In Atlantic Rainforest of Ilha Grande, the heliophylous bromeliad Neoregelia johannis is a large and abundant species. In this forest, it would be expected that N. johannis would occupy stable substrates, as large trunks, large branches, rock boulders or ground, with high sunlight, enough for the bromeliad survivor. In the present work, we analyzed the distribution and most used substrates of N. johannis in secondary forest. We analyzed the frequency of reproductive modes (sexual and vegetative) used by the bromeliad shoots, registering if the shoots were originated from seeds or by vegetative reproduction. The results indicated an aggregated distribution pattern (Ip = 0.052). The preferred substrate was boulders (91%), whereas tree trunks (6%) and the ground (3%) were rarely used. Small and fragile substrates are unstable to support large adults of this species, which may explain the predominant pattern of establishment over boulders within the secondary forest, as the presence of this substrate also results in more opened canopy cover. Approximately 50% of young individuals entered the population by vegetative reproduction. We conclude that the preferential habit and the aggregated distribution of N. johannis are due to the conjunction of preferred substrate with higher amount of light resulting from breaks in tree canopy over areas with rock blocks, and high frequency of recruitment by vegetative reproduction. RESUMO-(Distribuição espacial e substrato preferencial de Neoregelia johannis (Carriére) L. B. Smith (Bromeliaceae) em uma área perturbada de Floresta Atlântica da Ilha Grande, RJ, Brasil). Em populações de bromélias, a quantidade de luz e os tipos de substratos disponíveis afetam a organização espacial dos indivíduos. Na Floresta Atlântica da Ilha Grande, Neoregelia johannis é uma espécie heliófila abundante e de grande porte. Nesta floresta, seria de se esperar que N. johannis ocupasse substratos estáveis, como troncos e galhos de grande porte, blocos de rocha ou o solo, com alta luminosidade solar, suficiente para a sobrevivência da bromélia. Neste trabalho, foram analisados a distribuição espacial e os substratos utilizados pela bromélia na floresta secundária. Para avaliar o modo de reprodução (sexuada ou vegetativa) mais utilizado pelas plântulas da espécie na área, foram analisadas as freqüências de brotos originados por sementes e por reprodução vegetativa. Os dados indicaram um padrão espacial agregado (Ip = 0,052). O substrato preferencial foi bloco de pedra (91%), enquanto tronco (6%) e solo (3%) foram raramente utilizados. Substratos de pequeno porte e frágeis são instáveis para suportar adultos desta espécie, o que justifica o estabelecimento predominante da bromélia sobre os blocos de pedra na floresta secundária, já que a presença dos blocos também resulta em aberturas na cobertura vegetal. Aproximadamente 50% dos indivíduos jovens são originados na população por reprodução vegetativa. Conclui-se que o hábito preferencial e a distribuição agregada de N. johannis devem-se à conjunção substrato preferencial com maior aporte de luz resultante da abertura da cobertura vegetal na área dos blocos de rocha e à elevada taxa de recrutamento por reprodução vegetativa.

"ABSTRACT The Brazilian shrublands area (restinga) is composed of marine coast vegetation on Quaternary sandy plains, where the species composition can vary depending on the surrounding ecosystems. Th e aims of this study were to describe the structure and floristic composition of a restinga near the community of Itaúnas, in the northern part of the state of Espírito Santo, to identify any relationships between this restinga and surrounding plant formations, and to determine which are the species that occur preferentially in the coastal forests of Espírito Santo. We sampled woody plants with a diameter at breast height ≥ 2.5 cm, excluding lianas, in 50 plots of 100 m². We selected studies of coastal forests in the states of Espírito Santo and Bahia to prepare a database that would reveal patterns of floristic variation among these areas. We used two-way indicator species analysis for the identification of the species that occur preferentially in the coastal forests of Espírito Santo. We identified 114 species belonging to 38 families. Species richness was greatest for Myrtaceae (26 species), followed by Fabaceae (10). The Shannon index for the study area was 3.96. The estimated total density was 3,330 individuals/ha and basal area was 32.02 m²/ha. Th e highest importance value (IV) was for Protium heptaphyllum(IV, 23.4), indicating that it is characteristic of the Espírito Santo restinga. Th e results of our floristic analysis indicate that the species composition of the Itaúnas restinga is influenced by the so-called tabuleiroforests (coastal lowland forests on Tertiary deposits), which are most common in northern Espírito Santo. This seems to be the main factor responsible for the gradual reduction in floristic similarity between the restingas in the north of Espírito Santo and those in the south of the state, each constituting a distinct floristic block. In addition, we generated lists of species that occur preferentially in the restingaand tabuleiroforests. Th ose lists could inform decisions regarding environmental restoration programs. "

Bromeliaceae is one of the most representative plant families in restinga habitats. We analyzed the species richness and composition of Bromeliaceae in 13 restinga habitats along the Brazilian coast. We found a total of 41 species distributed along the restinga habitats studied. The restinga of Praia do Sul, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, had the highest number of species (15), whereas the restinga of Abaeté, in the state of Bahia, had the lowest (4). Our data are suggestive that the Doce River may represent the limit of distribution for some bromeliad species, with some species occurring only south of that river and others occurring only to the north of it. The differences in Bromeliaceae species composition among restinga habitats probably are not only due to differences in local environmental conditions, but also due to the geographic distribution pattern of each species and to the present degree of disturbance at each restinga.

We studied some ecological parameters such as richness, abundance, density, biomass and variation in species composition in four vegetation zones and in a zone with anthropic disturbance in the Massambaba Restinga in Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro State. We sampled 100 plots of 100 m 2 (10 x 10 m) recording the bromeliad species and their abundance. We found a total of seven bromeliad species, with Vriesea neoglutinosa (5647 ramets) and Tillandsia stricta (1277 ramets) being the most abundant. The vegetation zone called Clusia shrubs had the highest richness (S = 5) and density (6360 ramets.ha –1) of bromeliads. The differences found in abundance and variation in species composition among vegetation zones seems to be related to the vegetation structure of each zone. Composição de espécies de Bromeliaceae e sua distribuição na restinga de Massambaba, Arraial do Cabo, RJ, Brasil Resumo Estudamos a riqueza, a abundância, a densidade, a biomassa e a variação na composição de espécies de bromélias em quatro zonas de vegetação e em uma área com distúrbio antrópico da restinga de Massambaba, Arraial do Cabo, RJ. Estes parâmetros foram avaliados através do registro das espécies e de suas abundâncias em 100 parcelas, pro-porcionalmente distribuídas entre as zonas. Encontramos sete espécies de bromélias, sendo Vriesea neoglutinosa e Tillandsia stricta as mais abundantes. A arbustiva aberta de Clusia foi a zona de vegetação com maior riqueza (S = 5) e abundância total (6360 rosetas) de bromélias. As diferenças encontradas na composição e na abundância de espécies de bromélias entre as zonas parecem estar relacionadas com a estrutura da vegetação de cada zona.