Ecological sustainability assessment of riparian restoration in process

Author(s)

Letícia Couto Garcia

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
• Defense date: 2012-01-23

Examining board members

Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues; Natalia Macedo Ivanauskas; Flaviana Maluf de Souza; Sergius Gandolfi; Pedro Henrique Santin Brancalion

• Advisor: Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues; Flavio Antonio Maës dos Santos

Abstract

Throughout the world there is large scale environment degradation. Hence, restoration of degraded areas has been a challenge. There is a consensus that ecological studies can contribute to improve the practice of restoration. However, there is a knowledge lack about the trajectory of ecosystems' under restoration; in particular, regarding re-establishment of species diversity and its function in the ecological process. The aim of the present study is to verify whether riparian forest communities under restoration recover their attributes over time, such as species diversity, structure, plant functional groups, functional diversity and redundancy and resource provision for fauna compared to a reference forest. We studied riparian forests of the seasonal semideciduous forest domain, in the Atlantic Forest Biome, São Paulo State, SE, Brazil. These areas were restored using a high diversity of species during the planting process. We sampled all reproductive individuals of all growth forms and followed their phenology monthly for two years (353 species). We measured reproductive and structural plant traits such as growth form, size, basal area, reproductive phenology, floral types, flower color and size, dispersal syndrome, fruit color and size. We assumed that recover of the studied descriptors indicates positive and autonomous advancement in ecosystem restoration towards its sustainability. Several of these attributes were re-established over time, such as the vegetation structure, ecological sucessional group proportion, species diversity of trees and their flower functionality and originality, as well as the amount production of flowers and fruits. On the other hand, adaptive management actions may be necessary in order to afford any functional gaps, especially in regard to forms of non-tree species that should be introduced since they have been underrepresented, particularly in landscapes very fragmented. Thereby, adaptive management of these areas may assist the recovery of these descriptors. Consideration of these factors and prior planning of which species and grow forms should be planted will be of great relevance for areas that will be implemented in the future. We also believe that combining the knowledge acquired with public policy and the national environmental legislation is essential. Hence, we discussed the proposal bill to the Brazilian Forest Code and the effects that may occur in conservation and restoration of national ecosystems, where several current protected areas may lose protection and it will be a setback for conservation and restoration of Brazilian forests (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 07/50885-8 - Evaluation of the ecological sustainability of restored riparian forests
• Grantee: Letícia Couto Garcia
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate