The tree database available to us was obtained from several
studies carried out by Oliveira et al. (2004), Grillo et al. (2006),
Santos et al. (2008) and Lopes et al. (2009) between 2002 and
2007 based on permanent plots of 0.1 ha (10 m 100 m) disposed
in the centre of forest fragments to characterize the tree communities
in Serra Grande landscape. Fragment surveys included trees
with a DBH > 10 cm (diameter at breast height), which were classified
with regard to regeneration strategy (pioneer, and shade-tolerant
trees) and forest vertical stratification (understory, canopy,
and emergent trees). In this study, tree density (per plot), tree richness
(per plot) and percentage of shade-tolerant species (i.e., those
capable of regenerating in the shaded understorey of old growth
forests) and emergent species (i.e., species capable to occupy the
highest stratum of the forest) were used as tree community attributes
(Table S1). The percentage of shade-tolerant and emergent
trees were used as indicators of habitat integrity, because these
two ecological groups have been consistently reported as negatively
affected by habitat fragmentation in the Atlantic Forest in north-eastern Brazil (e.g., Oliveira et al., 2004; Santos et al.,2008). Further details about tree community attributes are available