Biotemas (Dec 2010)
Characterization of the vegetation of National Park Serra de Itabaiana, Sergipe-Brazil
Abstract
This study aimed to map and characterize the vegetation of the National Park of Serra de Itabaiana, with emphasis on the most abundant plant species, evaluating strategies for their conservation. There was a predominance of open formations of grassy fi elds, characterized as high-altitude grassland (3,289ha), mainly in areas of slopes. The forests are characterized as ecotones between Lowland Dense Rain Forest and Semideciduous Forest (2,643ha), mostly as secondary forest. The habitat called the White Sands (347ha), previously characterized as salt marshes, only occurs on the eastern side of Itabaiana and Comprida Serras, and it has a type of physiognomy normally associated with high-altitude grassland. The disturbed areas are concentrated at the edges of the park, roads and trails used by human visitors. Of these areas, regions with exposed soils are the most abundant, occurring in a total of 699ha; the brushwood (586ha) is more frequent at the forest’s edge, originating from fi res caused by the cultivation of sugar cane; plantations and withdrawals of soil (131ha) occur in areas close to settlements.agreste; description; protected areas; white sand
