Diversidade fenotípica e predição da distribuição natural de Stryphnodendron pulcherrimum (Willd.) Hochr para uso e conservação in situ

Abstract

Natural ecosystems are threatened by deforestation, along with intense human activity driving changes in land use and occupation alter the landscape and natural areas. Apparently isolated and protected, the forest fragments present in cities are exposed to urban and industrial pollution. As a result, millions of hectares around the world have soils contaminated with potentially toxic elements that directly affect the establishment and growth of plants, except for the most tolerant ones. Native species that manage to establish themselves in anthropogenic environments and were able to stabilize or remove trace elements from the soil, have motivated research on phytoremediation. Stryphnodendron pulcherrimum (Willd.) Hochr. is listed as the medicinal species with the highest value and use among traditional communities, due to its bactericidal activities and anti-inflammatory properties. However, climate change has threatened the distribution of this species, increasing the risk of extinction. Given the above, this work aimed to study the phenotypic diversity and perform the current along with future natural prediction of S. pulcherrimum. In the first chapter, the objective was to identify and quantify the trace elements present in rhizospheric soil and tissue samples plants of S. pulcherrimum. Soil and tissue samples (leaves and roots) were analyzed by applying total dispersion X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) from two areas of different phytophysiognomic natural forests (forest fragment area, Campus - UFAM, Manaus, AM, Brazil) and area anthropized with the presence of solid waste, located in the municipality of Novo Airão, AM, Brazil. Twenty-four samples of soil, leaves and roots of S. pulcherrimum were used in the two study areas, totaling 48 samples in this research. Individuals from each area were grouped by the hierarchical method of mean distances (UPGMA). Graphical dispersion was performed using the Principal Coordinate Analysis Method (PCA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling for inorganic component analysis. Consequently, the results were consistent with the groups of individuals identified in relation to the types of areas studied, forest fragment and anthropized areas. The anthropized areas provided the predominance of elements such as Y, Sc, Nb and Hf and the forest fragment showed high concentrations of Cu, Yb and Ba. The results indicated that S. pulcherrimum is a species with potential for phytoremediation of areas with the presence of trace elements in the soil. The species in the forest fragment showed high leaf concentrations of Cr and Yb, suggesting that S. pulcherrimum may be a potential species for biomonitoring studies as it is close to industrial areas and roads to assess contamination by Cr and Yb via atmospheric deposition, in addition to other trace elements. Chapter 2 aimed to present the natural distribution of the species S. pulcherrimum, in the current period as well as distribution in future scenarios. Furthermore, through ecological modeling and to we were able to evaluate the impact of different climate change scenarios based on the potential geographic distribution in Brazilian biomes. Accordingly, ecological niche modeling was used, as a function of 19 bioclimatic variables from the WordClim database. To predict the geographic distribution, four algorithm models were used: Climate Space Model, Envelope Score, Niche Mosaic and Environmental Distance. Future projections were evaluated under two different scenarios, RCP = 4.5, moderately pessimistic, and RCP = 8.5, more pessimistic, in two intervals of time (2020-2050 and 2051-2070). Based on the results of the inorganic components, the conditions analyzed in the soils of the study areas affected the absorption of essential nutrients and increased the availability of trace elements. Additionally, the findings obtained from the natural distribution of the species indicated that there were losses in areas favorable to the development of S. pulcherrimum, in both scenarios, demonstrating a significant loss in the Amazon, Cerrado and Pantanal biomes. Based on the information generated, natural populations located in environments most vulnerable to climate change should be prioritized to implement studies regarding in situ and ex situ conservation to ensure the continuity of the genetic variability of S. pulcherrimum long-term.