STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF THE BUSH-ARBOROUS COMPONENT IN A SEASONALLY DRY TROPICAL FOREST UNDER FOREST MANAGEMENT, MACAU-RN
cutting cycle; natural regeneration; phytosociology
Considering the importance of evaluating the compatibility between the exploration system usually employed in the Caatinga and the vegetation regeneration process, of identifying the growth dynamics of the arboreal-shrubby component and ascertaining the loss of floristic diversity, this study aims to characterize the component shrub-tree and individuals from the regenerative stratum, in four stands, aged nine, 12, 16, 20 and 26 years after logging, submitted to clear-cut and selective cutting regimes. For the adult component, individuals with CAP ≥ 6 cm were measured in permanent plots of 20 x 20 m, and for individuals in the regenerative stratum (in subplots of 5 x 5 m), height greater than 0.5 m was considered. CAP < 6.0 cm. Data analysis was performed by estimating absolute and relative parameters of frequency, density and dominance, importance value, diversity, and volumetric indices. Ten species were inventoried, distributed in four families, highlighting: Croton blanchetianus, Pityrocarpa moniliformis, Cenostigma pyramidale and Piptadenia retusa, due to their high density. The analysis of the partial data of the structure made it possible to observe disparity between treatments. Above all, in the structural parameters of density (CS1 – 1,812.5 ind ha-1; CS3 – 1,637.5 ind ha-1; CR – 1,525 ind ha-1; CS2 – 1,475 ind ha-1), dominance (CS2 – 5.38 m² ha-1; CS3 – 4.91 m² ha-1; CR – 3.67 m² ha-1; CS1 – 3.46 m² ha-1), and vertical stratification. Whose emphasis was given to treatments CS2 and CS3. Initially, it is possible to verify better structural conditions in the vegetation area submitted to selective cutting management, in detriment to the clear-cutting system, commonly used in Caatinga.