A Palynological Atlas of the Amazon <em>canga </em>Vegetation

Canga formations are ancient ecosystems characterized by high levels of endemic and threatened plant species that thrive on iron-rich substrates in the Southeastern Amazon uplands. Recent taxonomic validation of these species enables more accurate distribution modeling across past, present, and future time scales.This work presents a comprehensive palynological database for the Amazon canga vegetation, resulting from extensive field and herbarium surveys, as well as the compilation and taxonomic validation of species in the Carajás Mountain Region (CMR). The atlas includes 204 plant species: 10 ferns and lycophytes, 62 monocots, and 132 eudicots and magnoliids, mainly herbs, lianas, and trees. Most flowering plants are pollinated by bees, with secondary pollination by insects and wind. The taxa co-occur in two geoenvironments: (1) forested slopes and caves over plinthosols and ferralsols and (2) slopes with canga vegetation over plinthosols. Seventeen species are potential domesticates used by indigenous peoples. This highlights canga vegetation as a unique and diverse ecosystem with various survival strategies, emphasizing the need for precise habitat definitions in paleoenvironmental and paleoclimate reconstructions. The atlas provides a valuable reference for palynological studies, enhancing vegetation reconstruction, climate history analysis, pre-Columbian influences on vegetation patterns, and ecological monitoring.