Qualitative evaluation of tree cover species used in forest restoration plantings

• Grant number: 16/10328-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2016
• End date: June 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Augusto Gorne Viani
• Grantee: Daiane Pereira Guimarães
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Agrárias (CCA). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Araras , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/50718-5 - Ecological restoration of riparian forests, native forest of economic production and of degraded forest fragments (in APP and RL) based on restoration ecology of reference ecosystems in order to scientifically test the precepts of the New Brazilian Forest Code, AP.BTA.TEM

Abstract

Tree species with large canopies ("filling species") are widely used in restoration plantings aiming to quick develop a forest cover on the restoration site, and thus reduce competition with invasive grasses, one of the main barriers for the initial development of forest restoration projects. Filling species are defined as trees with both rapid growth in height and the presence of a wide canopy. However, these two features may not always result in good soil cover and shading, because tree species may be deciduous, have different canopies heights and densities, and therefore provide different levels of ground shading. The objective of this study is to evaluate trees canopy qualitative characteristics and their relationship with ground cover and grasses suppression in forest restoration sites. The undergraduate student will periodically evaluate leaf phenology, canopy area, the initial and final canopy height, light intensity and leaf size, all evaluated under the shadow of each tree studied. The variables measured will be compared among species and correlated themselves to identify both the species that present the best results on soil cover and the canopy characteristics of these species that provide greatest shading. To the undergraduate student, the development of this project will provide training on data collection methods on forest restoration sites and in scientific data analysis. In addition, the student will be trained to develop a research project, from data collection to final report or article preparation, based on the discussion of the results found. (AU)