CRESCIMENTO DE ESPÉCIES ARBÓREAS EM UMA FLORESTA NATURAL DE TERRA FIRME APÓS A COLHEITA DE MADEIRA E TRATAMENTOS SILVICULTURAIS, NO MUNICÍPIO DE PARAGOMINAS, PARÁ, BRASIL

Abstract

This paper deals with the effects of silvicultural treatments on growth rates of a terra firme natural forest after reduced impact logging (RIL). The study was carried out in the Rio Capim Forest Management Unit, which belongs to Cikel Brasil Verde Madeiras Ltda., located in the municipality of Paragominas, PA. The experimental area comprised 500 ha, where five treatments (100 ha each) each with four replications (25 ha each) were established. The replications were randomly distributed in the 500 ha sample area. The following treatments were applied: T1 – RIL + classical liberation thinning (girdling of competing trees) and climber cutting; T2 – RIL + modified liberation thinning (girdling of competing trees) and climber cutting; T3 – RIL + climber cutting; T6 - only RIL; T7 - unlogged forest (control). In the four years of monitoring forest, after logging and silvicultural treatments, T2 and T3 had the highest diameter growth rates. But the four-year period is not enough to suggest the best treatment, based on diameter growth rate, in response to girdling trees and climber cutting. At species level, growth rate varied between treatments and within treatments. In general, the lower diameter growth rates were observed in the unlogged forest.