Landscape Ecology and Effects of Habitat Fragmentation on Biodiversity of Coastal Environments: Case Study of Morraria da Praia Vermelha, SC, Brazil

The objective of this study was to develop and apply a landscape ecology study method to a coastal promontory, aiming to understand the processes that involve its formation and its maintenance. This research related the spatial structure of the landscape and the dynamics of tree species (model-species) considered climax indicators of the Atlantic Rainforest and its potentials dispersors (key-species). The study was focused of the Morraria da Praia Vermelha, municipality of Penha, Santa Catarina). The model-species observed were: Ocotea catharinensis, Virola bicuhyba, Copaifera trapeziflia, Cabralea canjerana and Euterpe edulis. Key-species were: Ortalis squamata, Ramphastos dicolorus, Melanerpes flavifrons, Myiodynastes maculatus, Pitangus sulphuratus, Turdus rufiventris, Platycichla flavipes and Thraupis sayaca. The situation of the area, considered a coastal fragment for its natural geomorphology, is intensified by the anthropic pressure, resembling it as a vegetation island. On one side it is limited by the Atlantic Ocean and on the other by the quaternary plain. It was observed that model-species are rare, resulting from a selective removal of trees, bird fauna reduction and adverse soil and topographical conditions, together with the distance observed among patches. The situation is further adverse because of the inexistence of connectivity of this area with other habitat fragments. If the adoption of environmental policies does not come soon to consider the restoration, fiscalization and environment education to stop hunting and further fragmentation, the expected trend is a loss of the biodiversity still existing on the studied environment.