Banca de DEFESA: MARIANA RABELLO MESQUITA

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : MARIANA RABELLO MESQUITA
DATE: 26/02/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Laboratório Didático I (DECOL) e Google Meet (https://meet.google.com/zdr-mpbn-ayr)
TITLE:

Diversity and connectivity of urban forestry: the other side of the Amazon

KEY WORDS:

Urban forest, Central Amazon, Luxury effect, Biotic homogenization, Urban planning

PAGES: 199
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUBÁREA: Ecologia Aplicada
SUMMARY:

Despite being located in the heart of the world’s largest tropical forest, Manaus has one of the lowest urban afforestation rates in the country, which is also poorly distributed, hindering wildlife movement within a nearly impermeable urban matrix. This thesis investigates the structure, diversity, and connectivity of the urban forest in Manaus, Central Amazon, through a multidisciplinary perspective integrating plant ecology, urban ecology, and landscape ecology.The research is structured into four complementary chapters. The first chapter reveals a predominance of exotic species (over 60%) and a significant presence of invasive taxa that threaten local biodiversity, highlighting a historical neglect of native Amazonian flora. The second chapter analyzes the afforestation of public squares within the framework of community ecology, demonstrating that while square area influences tree species richness, older squares reveal a higher dominance of fewer species, showing that the time factor promotes biotic homogenization in these spaces. The third chapter addresses afforestation form a socioeconomic perspective, with results confirming the “luxury effect” hypothesis; higher-income areas exhibit greater tree abundance and a higher proportion of exotic species, evidencing both an unequal distribution of greenery and the devaluation of regional flora. Finally, the fourth chapter employs Least-Cost Path modeling to identify connectivity bottlenecks and propose ecological corridors, highlighting the stream network (igarapés) and strategic afforestation or road infrastructure as key sites to increase urban matrix permeability and restore connectivity between forest fragments. Collectively, this thesis demonstrates that Manaus’s urban afforestation suffers from a deep biogeographic disconnection and unequal green distribution, and that the restoration of its ecological functions depends on public policies that integrate regional biodiversity into resilient urban planning. Thus, this work offers a critical diagnosis and applicable solutions for Manaus to reduce fragmentation and promote a more resilient and socially just urban forest management.

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externo à Instituição - JEFFERSON DA CRUZ - UFAM
Presidente - 1718346 - EDUARDO MARTINS VENTICINQUE
Interna - 1677189 - GISLENE MARIA DA SILVA GANADE
Externa à Instituição - MARINA ANTONGIOVANNI DA FONSECA
Externo à Instituição - RITA DE CÁSSIA GUIMARÃES MESQUITA