The influence of the gaps of deciduiusness on tree communities dynamics in seasonal semi-deciduous forests

• Grant number: 14/23440-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2015
• End date: May 01, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Flavio Antonio Maës dos Santos
• Grantee: Aline Luisa Mansur
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Clearings are an important component of tropical forest dynamics, promoting seedlings establishment, tree growth and reproduction. Seasonal Semi-Deciduous Forests (FES) are characterized by a dry season and wet season, which generates the so-called deciduousness gaps in the dry season, merged with the completion of the canopy in the wet season. If we consider light a limiting factor in the forest understory, we expect that some plant species occurring in FES will be favored by the increased light conditions created by deciduousness gaps, even under unfavorable water availability conditions. This, in turn, would generate differences in the structure and composition of species occurring in the understory beneath the deciduous and evergreen canopies. The goal of this work is to investigate the role of the deciduousness gaps in the seasonally semi-deciduous forests dynamics and structure. Will be sampled the individuals above 1 meter of height, growing under 60 deciduous and 60 evergreen canopy trees, in two FES fragments in the region of Campinas, SP. With the results, we expect answer whether or not deciduousness gaps are an important factor in the FES structure and functioning. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MANSUR, Aline Luisa. The role of the deciduousness gaps in the dynamics of tree communities in seasonal semideciduous forests. 2017. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia Campinas, SP.