Dynamics of natural regeneration after disturbance in a remnant of Mixed Ombrophilous Forest in southern Brazil

• Main Authors: Alyne Regina Ruggiero, Lauri Amândio Schorn, Kristiana Fiorentin dos Santos, Tatiele Anete Bergamo Fenilli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais em Bacias Hidrográficas (IPABHi) 2021-06-01
• Series: Revista Ambiente & Água
• Subjects: horizontal structure; ingress; mortality; succession stages
• Online Access: https://www.scielo.br/j/ambiagua/a/NL5CBzftDzMLqrZkKVFYGrK/?lang=en

This study evaluated changes in the structure for remnant Mixed Ombrophilous Forest recovering from logging, which ceased over 40 years ago. Regarding the dynamics of the floristic composition of natural regeneration, 18 species remained (23.38% of the total) and 27 new species entered (35.06% of the total). The greatest increases were observed for Allophylus edulis, Myrsine umbellata, and Miconia cinerascens. When analyzing the dynamics of regeneration in ecological groups, it was observed that pioneer species had a similar value in both surveys (29.4% and 29.6%); secondary species decreased from 56.6% to 52.8%, and late-successional species increased from 0.2% to 6.0%. Therefore, the forest fragment studied is in a healing phase after disturbance, characterized by the increased regeneration of pioneer species as a result of sufficient light entering the interior of the forest.