Valores esperados para atributos de florestas ripárias em restauração em diferentes idades

Abstract

ResumoProjetos de restauração florestal vêm se multiplicando nos últimos anos no Brasil, mas ainda persiste a dificuldade em avaliar se o ecossistema, ao longo de sua trajetória temporal, está se desenvolvendo adequadamente ou se está aquém das expectativas. Neste estudo, visamos dar suporte ao monitoramento de matas ciliares em restauração em regiões de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual (Mata Atlântica), gerando valores esperados para diferentes atributos da comunidade arbórea em cada idade. Os valores de referência foram obtidos por meio de modelos lineares, a partir da amostragem de um conjunto de 26 plantios de restauração em diferentes idades. Selecionamos, como indicadores ecológicos para monitorar o desenvolvimento dos ecossistemas em restauração, atributos que: 1) seguem trajetórias previsíveis ao longo do tempo e 2) representam a evolução estrutural, de riqueza e de restabelecimento de serviços ecossistêmi-cos relevantes. Apresentamos valores esperados para idades desde 4 até 25 anos, para os indicadores: área basal, biomassa aérea, cobertura de copas (por dois métodos distintos), riqueza total (plantadas + regenerantes), riqueza e densidade de regenerantes em duas classes de tamanho. O resultado do estudo é uma ferramenta robusta para avaliar se determinada floresta está se desenvolvendo adequadamente ou se está abaixo do esperado para o tempo decorrido desde o início da restauração, requerendo ações de manejo adaptativo. Esta ferramenta poderá ser aprimorada à medida que novos dados sejam gerados para o tipo florestal estudado e também pode servir de base metodológica para a geração de valores esperados ao longo do tempo para outros tipos de vegetação em restauração.Palavras-chave: indicadores ecológicos, restauração ecológica, monitoramento, modelos lineares, floresta estacional semidecidual, resiliência. AbstractForest restoration projects have increased in number and extension in Brazil in recent years. Notwithstanding, the difficulty in evaluating if the ecosystem undergoing restoration follows an expected trajectory or is under the expectations; this is an obstacle to be overcome. This study aimed at generating expected values for monitoring community attributes of riparian forests over the ages after planting trees. In this region the semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest was the historical vegetation. The reference values were obtained by modeling the trajectories of 26 riparian forests undergoing restoration at different ages. Among the tree community attributes analyzed, we selected as ecological indicators, those that: 1) followed predictable trajectories through time, and 2) represented the recovery of ecosystem structure, richness and relevant ecosystem services. Expected values for forest restoration projects aging from 4 -25 years are presented for the indicators: basal area, aerial biomass, canopy cover (by two different methods), total tree richness (planted + regenerating), density and richness of tree species spontaneously regenerating in two size classes. The result is a robust tool to veri...

Trends and knowledge gaps on ecological restoration research in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

“…the contemporary view of forest succession in which multiple trajectories are possible; Kauano et al 2013; Pereira et al 2013; Suganuma et al 2018), came the realization that successful restoration is not assured by the set of species planted. Studies have shown that the successful trajectory of restored forests is, to a certain extent, predictable in terms of structure, diversity, and ecosystem services (Liebsch et al 2008; Suganuma & Durigan 2015), but their composition is not predictable based on what was planted (Durigan et al 2016). However, restoration of the AF has frequently failed, due to biotic and abiotic constraints and also to poor maintenance during the first years of restoration, leading to alternative, stagnant, undesirable states (Sobanski & Marques 2014; Sansevero et al 2017).…”

Forest management decision support system for forest plantations in Brazil : a multicriterial approach

“…The choice of suitable ecological indicators is a challenge for monitoring ecosystem quality. According to Durigan et al (2016) indicators should be easy to apply and, in the case of forest restoration, they should represent the gradual recovery of biodiversity, relevant ecological processes, and ecosystem services resulting of interventions.…”

“…Therefore, the change from "forest monitoring" to "ecosystem monitoring" is a forest restoration requirement. The aim of a forest plantation is no longer an establishment of a production forest but a re-establishment of ecosystem processes (Albert et al, 2015;Bodini, 2012;Chaves et al, 2015;Durigan et al, 2016;Durigan and Ramos, 2013;Gatica-Saavedra et al, 2017;Reynolds et al, 2016;Whisenant, 1999).…”

“…Given the increasing investment of time, effort, and money in restoration, there is an urgent need to develop monitoring programs to assess restoration effectiveness (Durigan, Suganuma, & Galv, 2016;Gatica-Saavedra, Echeverría, & Nelson, 2017;Watson et al, 2017). Long-term 1 The New Climate Economy was commissioned in 2013 by the governments of seven countries: Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Norway, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom.…”

“…The number of assessments was particularly high in Brazil, which leads South America in public policies and legislation aimed at increasing the effectiveness of forest restoration. Moreover, according to Durigan et al (2016), forest restoration projects have grown not only in number but also in extension in Brazil over the recent years.…”