Herbaceous Community Structure in Areas with Forest Plantations

Abstract

The objective of this work was to characterize the specific composition, richness, equity, and diversity of the scrubland communities, fire-break roads and natural grassland surfaces. The study was done in three points, in 18 transects (direction N-S and E-W) located within the forest stands, fire-break roads and natural grassland, localizing 30 frames of 0,25 m2 each. Were surveyed 172 species classified by family and gender, and calculated richness, equity, and calculated diversity for the vegetation of each site. Vegetation communities developed in environments where the forest stands do interfere show lower values in the number of families, gender, and species. Values of richness and diversity decreased with increases in tree canopy interference, and greater equity was associated with more shaded environments. Commercial forest plantations of E. grandis and P. taeda, E-W oriented, gave scrubland communities with low richness and specific diversity. By increasing the intensity of the disturbance produced by the stands, communities with the highest levels of equity were generated.