Dynamics and Edge Effect of an Atlantic Forest Fragment in Brazil

Abstract

The woody plants in an edge area formed approximately 35 years ago in an Atlantic Forest fragment in northeastern Brazil were examined, and three environments defined: edge, intermediate, and interior. Canopy tree densities and basal areas were found to be similar in all three environments, and also similar to previous published studies in the same region; species richness was greatest at the forest edge. The understory showed greater species richness in the forest interior, but greater diversity and equitability in the intermediate environment. Understory environments close to the forest edge demonstrated larger stem diameters than in the forest interior, although at lesser densities and with smaller total basal areas. Our results indicated the existence of distinct patterns in canopy and understory that most likely reflect differences in the response times of these two vegetation layers, with the understory being more sensitive to alterations in environmental structure. Keywords

Nutrients dynamics in tropical forest fragments located in an area of Atlantic Forest of the state of Alagoas

“…However, it is worth saying that most studies related to forest structure in the Northeast include stems with DBH ≥ 5 cm in their inventories (Table 1). Our data were similar to the stems density reported by Mendes et al (2016) Submontane is located on a very steep slope constantly suffering landslides, which frequently exposes young soils, creating gaps and making disturbances in this forest physiognomy (Furian et al 1999). This characteristic may explain why the stem density is similar to that found in our study.…”

“…These results show that it takes more than 30 years for a forest in that region to acquire old-growth forest characteristics after clear-cut (Piotto et al 2009). In another study that has been conducted in areas of the Atlantic Forest, also located in Bahia, and including different forest cover characteristics, most of the basal areas was within a range of 10 to 15 m 2 ha -1 , with only a few values higher than 20 m 2 ha -1 (Moraes 2017 are also comparable to those found in the edge and interior forests investigated in Pernambuco (Mendes et al 2016). These authors also reported that the forest interior had been disturbed at some point, due to the observation of greater trees recruitment and lower mortality rates found in their studied plots.…”

Analysis of the vertical canopy structure in native forest fragments and <i>Eucalyptus</i> plantations to detect edge effects

“…Overall, the understory density was more sensitive to alterations in environmental structure than height, a pattern already observed in a previous study (Mendes et al 2016).…”

“…Guerra et al, 2016). Good growth rates and conditions of climate and soil favoured by the genetic improvement of crops have been responsible for the spread of their cultivation across the country(Stape et al, 2010).…”

Tree Responses to Soil and Edge Effects in a Semideciduous Forest Remnant

“…Many studies have highlighted the changing patterns of species richness, diversity, community composition and horizontal structure between contiguous forest and fragments, across gradients of forest fragment sizes, and from the forest edge to its interior (e.g. Magnago et al, 2014;Mendes et al, 2016). Most of these studies report that severe abiotic changes such as desiccation, wind disturbance, increase in light and temperature, and decreased air humidity are likely to cause conspicuous biological changes in the recent forest edges formed due to fragmentation (Murcia, 1995;Magnago et al, 2014).…”