Efeito de borda na diversidade, composição e estrutura da comunidade arbórea em uma floresta estacional decidual no Brasil Central

Abstract

-The effects of edge distance on the structure, composition and diversity of tree community, considering individuals of all size classes, were studied in a well-preserved fragment of deciduous dry forest in northeastern Goiás state, Brazil. Plots were systematically established at six distances (0, 40, 80, 160, 280 and 400 m) from the edge, over 10 orthogonal transects on the forest-pasture edge. It was sampled 602 adult individuals/ha, 8,927 saplings/ha and 54,167 seedlings/ha distributed in 58 species. Although the composition of seedlings and adult individuals varied significantly over the forest-pasture gradient, the variation explained by edge distance was below 4%. Among parameters of community structure and tested diversity indexes, there was significant variation only for diversity of seedlings and height of adult trees among forest-pasture edge distances. The dry forest fragment showed only a slight edge effect on the evaluated tree community parameters. This conclusion contrasts with findings from studies on tropical rain forests which indicate sharp differences between edge and interior tree communities in forest fragments.

Analyzing the edge effects in a Brazilian seasonally dry tropical forest

“…Noteworthy are Oliveira-Filho et al (1997, 2007 in semideciduous forest, Lima-Ribeiro (2008) and Dodonov et al (2013) in differents physiognomy of cerrado (tropical savanna), which found some effect, and Santos and Santos (2008) (in caatinga -tropical shrubland), Sampaio and Scariot (2011) and Oliveira et al (2013) in dry forest, who did not find.…”

Resprouting Ability of Dry Forest Tree Species after Disturbance Does Not Relate to Propagation Possibility by Stem and Root Cuttings

“…On the other hand, Spondias , a genus commonly planted using large cuttings in Central America (Budowski & Russo ), is rarely observed as root‐crown resprouter in pastures and early successional forests (Vieira et al ; Sampaio et al ). This genus occurs in high densities in intact dry forests of Central Brazil (Sampaio & Scariot ), and is occasionally propagated by cuttings in some regions of Brazil. Thus, our study suggests that high resprouting ability is not related to better rooting of cuttings of dry forest species.…”

Edge Effects on Successional Dynamics of Forest Fragments in the Brazilian Cerrado

“…However, despite the remarkable resilience of interfluvial forests, their edges are subject to changes. A previous study in a SF showed subtle edge effects in community parameters (Sampaio & Scariot, 2011). The authors pointed out that effects of edge were not important, due to species adaptation to harsh environmental conditions and rapid growth in nutrient-rich soils.…”

“…However, most of these studies were carried out on typically savanna physiognomies. Some few studies relating the edge influence on forests ecosystems in Brazilian Cerrado have been carried out by Sampaio & Scariot (2011) and Arruda & Eisenlohr (2016), in seasonal dry forests. Like these, semideciduous forests and cerradões (woody savanna) occur in well-drained and interfluvial regions typical of the biome.…”