Aspectos da estrutura fitossociológica e silvigenética em fragmentos de floresta estacional semidecídua com diferentes histórias de perturbação em Botucatu, SP / Aspects of the phytossociological and silvigenetic structure of seasonal semi deciduous forest fragments with different disturbance histories, at Botucatu, SP

Heloiza Cassola

The seasonal semi deciduous forest fragments in São Paulo State suffered the fragmentation process mainly because agricultural and urban expansion. These remnants are very important for taxonomic and ecological studies, although they are much altered. By joining phytossociological and silvigenetic studies is possible a diagnosis of their present situation, as well as inferring about their past history and predicting their future development. The Edgardia Experimental farm, belonging to the São Paulo State University Campus, Botucatu, SP, Brazil, is located at the basaltic "cuestas". With a total surface of 1.200 ha, it preserves the biggest forest fragments of the municipality. Both fragments included in this study, Mata do Bexiguento (Site A) and Mata do Pomar Velho (Sites B and C), respectively with 303 and 53 ha of area each, have different perturbation histories. Site A was selectively logged until early 1980 decade; Site B is a 35 year-old secondary forest and Site C was also logged and burnt by forest fires. The study was made using the systematic stratified sampling, with contiguous permanent plots of 10 x 10 m, totaling 50 plots in each site and 1.5 ha of total sampling area. All individuals with height equal or over 1.30 m were marked, identified and measured (total height and DBH). For the eco-units mapping, the line intercept method was used, with 11 parallel and equidistant lines of 100 m each, distant 5 m one from the other. All dominant trees whose canopy intercepted one inventory line were marked and classified, as well as the canopy gaps were inventoried. At site A, the dominant species were Gallesia integrifolia, Astronium graveolens, Aspidosperma polyneuron e A. ramiflorum; at site B the species were Parapiptadenia rigida, Acacia polyphylla, Celtis iguanaea e Centrolobium tomentosum; at site C they were Croton floribundus, Acacia polyphylla, Tabernaemontana catharinensis e Urera baccifera. The species that were logged showed altered size class distribution: some bigger diameters were missing or there were some gaps in their size distribution. Other species were found only in the understory (>= 1.30 m height up to DAP <5 cm). The silvatic mosaic of site A had a higher proportion of mature eco-units (37%), were in site B these ones were 34.6% of the area, while 31.3% were aggrading eco-units. In site C the highest proportion was for the aggrading eco-units (42.1%), while the mature ecounits represented only 28.8% of the forest mosaic. The results indicate successional differences among sites, due both to their different disturbance histories and also to the abiotic differences among these areas. Site A is the best conserved fragment, considering the species diversity, the taller forest canopy, larger tree diameters and highest proportion of mature eco-units. Site B is a secondary forest still dominated by species that area common in the early successional stages, with a very dynamic forest mosaic. Site C is a highly disturbed forest concerning its structure and function, with big canopy gaps and a strong lianas and vines colonization, tending to the degradation. Some management strategies are suggested for each case.

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