Intermediary disturbance increases tree diversity in riverine forest of southern Brazil

Floods are frequently associated with disturbance in structuring riverine forests and they lead to environmental heterogeneity over space and time. We evaluated the distribution of tree species, ecological groups, species richness and diversity from the point bar to the slope of a riverside forest in southern Brazil (Lat. 30°01′S, Long. 52°47′W) to analyze the effects of flooding on soil properties and forest structure. A plot of 50 × 200 m divided in five contiguous transects of 10 × 200 m parallel to the river was installed, where we measured all the individual trees with pbh ≥ 15 cm. A detailed topographical and soil survey was carried out across the plot and indicated significant differences in organic matter and most mineral nutrients through the topographical gradient. The 1,229 surveyed individuals belonged to 72 species and 35 families. We used Partial CCA and Species Indicator Analysis to observe the spatial distribution of species. Both analyses showed that species distribution was strongly related to the flooding gradient, soil properties and also by space and pure spatial structuring of species and environmental variables (spatial autocorrelation), although a large part of variation remains unexplained. The ecological groups of forest stratification, plant dispersal and requirements for germination indicated slight differences among frequently, occasional and non-flooded transects. Species richness and diversity were higher at intermediate elevations and were associated to the increased spatial–temporal environmental heterogeneity. Across the plot, the direct influence of flooding on tree species distribution created a vegetation zonation that is determined by predicted ecological traits.