Influência do componente herbáceo da caatinga na regeneração natural de plantas lenhosas em uma área de vegetação preservada e uma área de agricultura abandonada

Abstract

Studies have shown that not only herbs can affect the survival and establishment of seedlings of woody but also woody may affect the establishment of herbs in dry environments. Since the herbaceous component is abundant in Caatinga region, it is expected that the dynamics of the herbs can interfere during the wood population regenerative dynamics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role that the herbaceous component plays during some wood species early regeneration phase in an abandoned farming area, called anthropogenic , and preserved vegetation in Caruaru, Pernambuco. There were 50 1x1m area plots, randomly assigned to a piece of 1ha. Monthly, the herbaceous vegetation was removed, manually, from 25 plots and kept on the other 25 plots in each area. As for the plots, all wood plants seedlings were marked and recruited, then, their growth and survival were observed. Among the wood seedlings monitored in the plots, two species were selected in order to have their survival and development monitored: Croton blanchetianus Baill. (Euphorbiaceae) and Poincianella pyramidalis Tul. L. P. Queiroz (Fabaceae). We recorded a total of 13 wood species, with a total of 1139 seedlings born in anthropogenic area and 494 seedlings born in the preserved area. Wood seedling mortality in community was significantly higher during the rainy season for both areas. Births and deaths in the impacted area were significantly higher in plots without herbs in 2008 and 2009, and in the preserved area they were significantly higher in plots with herbs in 2008. In both areas, seedling cohorts born at the beginning of the rainy season had a greater chance of survival when compared to cohorts recruited during the late period of rainy season. The relationship between the density of herbaceous and woody seedling density in the impacted and preserved area was significant. C. blanchetianus and P. pyramidalis population synchronized births at the beginning of the rainy season, allowing most of their subjects to have time to grow and to survive during the dry season. The species have shown differences concerning their preference for habitats forming larger populations of C. blanchetianus in the impacted area and P. pyramidalis ones in the preserved area. As for C. blanchetianus in the impacted area the role of herbs in population survival varied between years. In the preserved area the maintenance of the herbaceous layer favored the survival of seedlings, but did not favor their growth. As for P. pyramidalis herbaceous plants favored survival in the preserved area, but they had a negative effect on its recruitment and growth. The growth rate varied, sometimes negatively, sometimes positively, for both species during both seasons, indicating the existence of different competitive abilities concerning the individuals. The results show that the herbs affect the recruitment, survival and development of wood seedlings, but the result of plant-plant interaction, whether positive or negative for those involved, depended on the species and the conservation status of the area.