Structural variation and content of aboveground living biomass in an area of Atlantic Forest in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Knowledge of the vegetation structure in the Atlantic Forest is essential to support studies about its functioning, in view of broad interest issues such as global carbon balance. This study aimed to describe the structural variation in a heterogeneous area at Núcleo Santa Virgínia, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar and how the aboveground living biomass is distributed in its phytophysiognomies. In each physiognomy studied, blocks of 10 × 10 m plots were allocated, totaling 0.6 ha of sampling. From the 1,046 individuals with PBH > 15 cm sampled, 443 were in riparian forest (RF), 272 in valley forest (VF) and 331 in hill forest (HF), with a total of 119 species. Shannon index was 3.63 and Pielou equability 0.76. Biomass estimated corresponds to 225.45 mg ha-1 (total), 193.6 mg ha-1 (RF), 299.85 mg ha-1 (VF) and 182.9 mg ha-1 (HF). The forest presents similar features to other fragments previously analyzed.

Tree Community Composition and Aboveground Biomass in a Secondary Atlantic Forest, Serra Do Mar State Park, São Paulo, Brazil

“…The families' dominance (basal area) in the study area, especially Arecaceae, Cyatheaceae, Fabaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae and Rubiaceae were similar to the results obtained by Tabarelli and Mantovani (1999), Padgurschi et al (2011), Medeiros and Aidar (2011) Joly et al (2012). Peixoto and Gentry (1990) pointed that Myrtaceae and Lauraceae families predominate in forest formations along the entire Atlantic coast, especially under the infl uence of fog or in the montane forests.…”

“…and Alchornea triplinervia. The Arecaceae family was represented only by Euterpe edulis, as also found by Padgurschi et al (2011) and Medeiros and Aidar (2011). Joly et al (2012) highlighted the increase of palm species in higher altitudes, reaching more than 400 ind.ha -1 in the Montane Ombrophilous Dense Forest, as well as Cyatheaceae species.…”

“…In addition, the species were classified into the successional groups proposed by Gandolfi et al (1995), especially considering the survival and germination in the light, as pioneer, early secondary and late secondary. Comparisons with the literature (AIDAR et al, 2003;GOMES et al, 2011;MEDEIROS AND AIDAR, 2011;PADGURSCHI et al, 2011) were used for the species definition in each of the ecological groups.…”

“…plantations. Medeiros and Aidar (2011) found a physiognomy composed by large trees and uniform canopy covering 80% of the Ribeirão da Casa de Pedra watershed in Santa Virginia Nucleus.…”

“…Estimates of the vegetation aboveground biomass (AGB) were carried out to complement the characterization of the study area and it is an useful knowledge to evaluate the carbon fluxes between aboveground forest ecosystems and the atmosphere (CHAVE et al, 2005). The model chosen for moist forest stands was based on Chave et al (2005), the same employed by Medeiros and Aidar (2011) in other plot at Serra do Mar State Park (Equation 1). The wood density values were extracted from Chave et al (2006), when it was not available for one specific species, it was used the average of the genus or family.…”