The specialized white-sand flora of the Uatumã Sustainable Development Reserve, central Amazon, Brazil

A study of the Uatumã Sustainable Development Reserve (USDR) in central Amazon reveals that while white-sand ecosystems, known as campinaranas, host a significant number of endemic plant species, the majority are generalists found across other Neotropical environments. Analyzing a checklist of 167 tree, palm, and shrub species sampled between 2014 and 2020, researchers identified only 30.5% as exclusive to campinaranas, challenging the assumption that these ecosystems are dominated by specialists. The research also describes the phytophysiognomies, habitats, distribution, and phenology of the flora, highlighting the ecological richness and fragility of oligotrophic Amazonian environments. These findings underscore the need for tailored conservation strategies to protect this unique biodiversity.

Demarchi, L. O., Klein, V. P., Aguiar, D. P. P., Marinho, L. C., Ferreira, M. J., Lopes, A., da Cruz, J., Quaresma, A. C., Schöngart, J., Wittmann, F., & Piedade, M. T. F. (2022). The specialized white-sand flora of the Uatumã Sustainable Development Reserve, central Amazon, Brazil. Check List, 18(1), 187–217. https://doi.org/10.15560/18.1.187