Ecology of Native Forest Seeds in Brazil: Assessment in Different Forest Typologies and Their Impact on Restoration Areas

• Grant number: 24/09791-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Forestry Resources and Forestry Engineering - Nature Conservation
• Agreement: BG E&P Brasil (Shell Group)
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri
• Grantee: João Pedro Bessa Oliveira
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Company: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Politécnica (EP)
• Associated research grant: 20/15230-5 - Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation - RCG2I, AP.PCPE

Abstract

The study of seeds is essential for understanding the structure and functionality of forests, as well as their resilience and ability to colonize new areas. Thus, this work aims to structure a database relating species present in different types of forests and remnants to attributes of their seeds, such as their dimensions, presence of dormancy, and desiccation tolerance. Seed data will be gathered from information contained in books, published scientific articles, or through laboratory tests. Information on typologies and present species will be obtained through already conducted forest inventories. Data analysis will be carried out in relation to the functional ecology of these areas, evaluating how seed attributes affect the species' survival and dispersal capacity. In this way, the aim is to understand how these characteristics may or may not favor the regeneration of degraded areas, thus identifying species or functional groups in each analyzed typology with higher priority for active restoration. These results will aid in the strategic planning of conservation and restoration in the analyzed areas, as well as serve as a basis for other locations.