Diversity of vascular flora at Andino's Choco area in Selva Virgen

Abstract

The forest near the Hostería Selva Virgen, located in Pichincha, northwestern Andean Chocó area, is one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world, reason that determined the analysis of the vascular flora in the zone. For this study we did a temporary transects of 50 x 4 and 50 x 2 m covering an area of 0.1 hectares. We calculated Sorensen, Simpson and Shannon indexes, using the Past software, obtaining the following results: 159 species (spp.) registered corresponding to 121 genera and 54 families. Families with more species were: 15 spp Moraceae, Rubiaceae 10 spp, Arecaceae 9 spp, Fabaceae 9 spp, Melastomataceae 8 spp and Meliaceae 8 spp. The diversity obtained has a value of 0.95. It is interpreted in the Simpson index as a high diversity. Richness was 0.33, interpreted as an average richness. Sorensen index identifies areas that share more species. Endemism is low: 6.25%. The high biodiversity found in the studied forest shows an important biological richness; therefore more studies are suggested, because this zone has been rarely explored from the biological point of view.