Woody vegetation in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil: a preliminary typology

The ecological conditions of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso change during yearly and multi-years cycles because of pronounced water-level fluctuations. Differences in topography and related hydrological conditions allow the coexistence of specific vegetation units. This paper presents an analysis of the flora and vegetation types described in the scientific literature and based on our own observations in the Pantanal. It offers a unifying characterization of the vegetation of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso with respect to the characteristics of woody plants of the region. Grasslands and aquatic communities were not considered. Three floristic types with 19 units were distinguished: savannas (5 units), forests (2 sub-types and 10 units), and scrublands (4 units). The environmental parameters used to define these types, sub-types, and units are described, and information on species composition is given