The characteristic feature of the region is the Araucaria
forests, which occur mainly between 400 and 1,000 m asl
along watercourses, valleys, hillsides, and grasslands on the
plateau (IBGE 1992). The presence of A. angustifolia determines
the vegetation physiognomy; these trees occur in continuous
forest habitats, as well as in patches embedded in the plateau
grasslands. The forest on the hillsides and valleys of the study
area can be considered a disturbed forest, but with a high
level of biotic integrity, since it was only selectively logged
a few decades ago. At the time of the study, the Pinus elliottii
plantation was 27 years old and the A. angustifolia plantation areas were circa 30 years old. Both plantations were surrounded
by native forests. Thus, any species colonizing the plantations
were likely dispersed from a neighbor native forest.