Influence of silviculture matrix on the dispersion of Cerrado tree species

• Grant number: 24/00797-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Forestry Resources and Forestry Engineering - Nature Conservation
• Principal Investigator: Elisa Hardt Alves Vieira
• Grantee: Cinthia Sayuri Yoshizawa Takeda
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/02570-8 - Matrix influence on the functional connectivity of Brazilian Savanna landscapes, AP.PNGP.PI
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/16023-4 - Viability of Native Cerrado plants propagules in silviculture matrix soil, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

The functional landscape connectivity can be influenced by the intensity and type of anthropogenic activities within the matrix. The cultivation of extensive forest plantations with commercial species is a common practice in many Cerrado regions in the state of São Paulo, potentially yielding distinct responses in the dispersal of flora species compared to other agricultural matrices. This is influenced by the ease of dispersion vectors and variations in the establishment capacity of propagules and plants within the matrix. In this context, this project aims to comprehend the effects of silviculture matrix on the distance thresholds for functional connectivity in Cerrado landscapes. To achieve this, functional measures of connectivity will be taken in landscape units with previously known structural connectivity. Sample units will be stratified along a habitat-matrix distancing gradient to quantify the abundance and richness of flora, classified by dispersal syndrome and ecosystem provisioning services. The results will indicate functional connectivity thresholds that may jeopardize the sustainability of landscapes dominated by silviculture, providing direct applications to regional planning and assistance in restoration efforts for Cerrado landscape connectivity.