The gallery forest which occurs along one of the branches of the Córrego da Paciência, southern Mato Grosso, Brazil (15º 21'S, 55º 49'W), was surveyed by 67 plots of 30m² each (0.201 ha). Individuals > 9cm in circumference at ground level were recorded. Three sites of the forest were sampled: Nascentes, Vereda and Cachoeira. Phytosociological parameters were calculated for the vegetation of the whole sampled area, and of each of the forest sites. Structural and floristic dissimilarity measures were obtained in a comparison among the three forest sites. Floristic dissimilarity measures were also obtained in a comparison of the forest of the present study and five other riparian forests from Central and Southeastern Brazil. The six forests were highly dissimilar in floristic composition although some of them have some abundant species in common. The three forest sites also presented high dissimilarity indexes in floristic composition and community structure. Climate, soil and geomorphology of the catchment areas may be responsible for inter-regional differences among riparian forests. The intra-regional differences may be associated with variations in soil fertility, soil moisture and flood level regimes, all of which may also vary locally with topography. Distinct spatial distribution patterns, clearly observed among many gallery forest species, may be ascribed to the high environmental heterogeneity which is peculiar to this vegetation type.
gallery forest; riparian vegetation; floristic composition; phytosociology; Mato Grosso