Tree community structure in a Cerrado stricto sensu area, municipality of Porto Nacional, Tocantins, Brazil

Abstract

The present work aimed to carry out a survey of the floristic composition and tree diversity in a rural property located in the county of Porto Nacional, state of Tocantins, through a forest inventory with simple random sampling. 5 plots of 20x50 meters were allocated and the height and Circumference at Ground Height - CAS - (> 10 cm) of the plants were measured. For each species sampled, phytosociological parameters related to frequency, density and dominance were calculated, in addition to the importance value index (IVI), using the FITOPAC program. The similarity between the plots was investigated through cluster cluster analysis of the statistical program R. The survey resulted in 1,061 individuals, belonging to 35 families and 81 species, among them the most important was Qualea grandiflora, known as “pau-terra-da-folha-larga”. The Fabaceae family was the most representative with 21 species. The grouping analysis inferred that there is a division of three major groups. One group shows the proximity between areas 1 and 2, the other the similarity between areas 4 and 5 and the last group contains only plot 3, and indicates a greater similarity with plots 4 and 5. The results obtained show the great richness and diversity of the vegetation of the “Cerrado”, demonstrating the real need for more phytosociological studies, so that, from these, actions are elaborated that develop conservation policies that prioritize the rational use of resources, ensuring the maintenance of this great diversity of plants and environments.

Keywords

• Fitossociologia, Inventário florestal, Diversidade arbórea