Natural regeneration of Cerrado after the removal of Pinus elliottii plantation

• Grant number: 12/21045-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Applied Botany
• Principal Investigator: Alessandra Tomaselli Fidelis
• Grantee: Jonathan Galdi Rosa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Cerrado is considered to be a hotspot of biodiversity and despite of its importance, it has been threatened by changes in land use into monocultures of soya beans, maize, and sugar cane. In São Paulo State, the Cerrado has been fragmented and it covers less than 1% of the total area of the state. Moreover, the Cerrado has suffered constant threats due to the edge effect and anthropogenic activities. The introduction to trade and invasion of exotic species such as Pinus spp., in the state of São Paulo also contributes to the decrease of the Cerrado area. This study will be checked the first stages of natural regeneration of cerrado vegetation after removal of Pinus elliottii, an area of approximately 18 hectares, in the Ecological Station and Experimental Itirapina, where planting was done in 1966. This study has as main question whether the presence of the needles on the ground hamper the natural regeneration of Cerrado species and thus experiment with removing needles will be held. Finally, the establishment of seedlings of Pinus in the area will be monitored and its effect on the establishment of native Cerrado species will be evaluated. (AU)