FLORISTIC AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF GALLERY FOREST FRAGMENTS OF UPPER ARAGUAIA RIVER BASIN

Abstract

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509814575The forests of upper Araguaia river basin are daily exposed to degradation agents due to intense agriculture practices. Twenty two fragments (of 10 until 169 ha) were surveyed according to point-centered quarter method to characterize vegetation structure and to create a database to forest restoration. One hundred and nine (109) species, belonging to 78 genus and 42 families, were sampled where 73.4% revealed zoochorous dispersal pattern, and 69.7% were classified to initial sucessional category. Shannon index and Pielou equability index were 3.86 nats. ind-1 and 0.82, respectively. Density and total basal area estimated were 1,351 trees.ha-1 and 19.28 m2.ha-1. The areas showed lower richness, Shannon and Pielou heterogeneity indices, lower basal area, and high number of species of intermediate stage of ecological sucession and colonization of cerrado and cerradão species in disturbed areas, altering the original landscape. Such situation, added to the importance of those areas for the biodiversity conservation and ecological services (mainly relative to the water), demands protection actions and management that use the great regenerative potential of the area, given by the existence of a great number of initial secondary species and the prevalence of zoochoric species.

Keywords

• mata de galeria
• fitossociologia
• conservação
• cerrado brasileiro.