Frost damage in a Lobelia brasiliensis population at Reserva Ecológica do IBGE, Brasília – Federal District, Brazil

Abstract

Lobelia brasiliensis A. O. S. Vieira & G. J. Shepherd is a rare and endemic plant of the Federal District (DF), present in the Ecological Reserve of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), located in the south-central portion of the DF, in the center of the Cerrado biome. Low temperatures can impose restrictions on Cerrado vegetation. In May 2022, the temperature dropped sharply in the DF, reaching a minimum temperature of 2°C in the Reserve. Seeking to evaluate the effects of frost on the population of L. brasiliensis, a field survey was carried out in the area two months after the mentioned climatic event, and a second survey four months later. For one hour, three people walked about 1,300 m along the area, covering approximately 1 ha. A total of 84 individuals of L. brasiliensis were located in the field, ranging from single rosettes with about 20 cm in diameter to individuals with multiple rosettes forming patches of approximately 2 m in diameter. All individuals had dry leaves and stems. However, all individuals were already in an advanced stage of regrowth, with several new leaves. Thus, although the low temperature event affected individuals, there is still no evidence of permanent damage to the population.

Keywords

• rare plant
• endangered species
• Cerrado
• frost