Restored versus reference ecosystem: case study of plant community at a riparian forest in the Cerrado region, Assis, São Paulo State, Brazil

Author(s)

Camila Daronco ^[1] ; Antônio Carlos Galvão de Melo ^[2] ; Giselda Durigan ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade do Estado de São Paulo. Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas. Departamento de Recursos Naturais - Brasil

^[2] Instituto Florestal - Brasil

^[3] Instituto Florestal - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Hoehnea; v. 40, n. 3, p. 485-498, 2013-09-00.

Abstract

Whether or not the structure and composition of natural ecosystems can be recovered by ecological restoration is a controversial issue, and the relative contribution of the planted species or seed sources from the vicinity has rarely been assessed. We compared the understory of a planted and a native riparian forest on the basis of density, richness and proportions of functional attributes of individuals and species. Floristic analyses included the set of species planted. After ten years, richness of the community being restored is not far from the reference, but proportions of functional attributes differ between native and planted forest. More than 30 years are estimated to recover understory density. The dominance of immigrating species (74% of individuals and 85% of species) indicates that the regional species pool has a much stronger influence than the set of species planted to build a community assembly in the forest undergoing restoration. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/12694-9 - Functional traits of planted trees and facilitation of natural regeneration in riparian forest restoration
• Grantee: Camila Daronco
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master