Effects of Vegetable Cover on the Regeneration Process in Degraded Dry Forest in Brazil

Bibliographic Data

ID21648853
AuthorsStefanny Martins De Souza (0000-0001-9953-4229, Laboratório de Ecologia Neotropical, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Estadual da Paraíba Campina Grande Paraíba Brazil, corresponding author), Maiara Bezerra Ramos (0000-0003-0376-5108, Laboratório de Ecologia Neotropical, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Estadual da Paraíba Campina Grande Paraíba Brazil), Maria Gracielle Rodrigues Maciel (0000-0002-5725-2503, Laboratório de Ecologia Neotropical, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Estadual da Paraíba Campina Grande Paraíba Brazil), Sonaly Silva Da Cunha (Laboratório de Ecologia Neotropical, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Estadual da Paraíba Campina Grande Paraíba Brazil), José João Lelis Leal de Souza (0000-0003-4670-6626, Soil Science Department Universidade Federal de Viçosa Viçosa Minas Gerais Brazil), D F Lopes (0000-0001-6472-6765, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba), Sérgio De Faria Lopes (Laboratório de Ecologia Neotropical, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Estadual da Paraíba Campina Grande Paraíba Brazil)
Year2024
Publication date2024-10-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueLand Degradation and Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1085-3278 • E-ISSN: 1099-145X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ldr.5316
OpenAlexW4403548433
LanguageEN
References cited60

The Brazilian Caatinga is among the most diverse dry forests in the world, yet half of its original coverage has been degraded. Natural regeneration is influenced by climatic and edaphic conditions, as well as the existing adult stratum. Despite its significance, this process remains poorly understood in the Caatinga. Thus, our study aimed to analyze how anthropogenic disturbance, vegetation cover, and soil properties affect the regenerating stratum under different levels of Caatinga vegetation cover. The research was conducted in the driest region of Brazil. The selected sites represent low (Area I) and high (Area II) normalized difference vegetation index. Six vegetable plots (50 × 20 m each) were delimited to study adult stratum, and four vegetable plots (10 × 10 m each) to regeneration stratum. Topsoil was sampled in all vegetable plots. Our results reveal interactions between soil characteristics and the adult and regenerating strata. Area II exhibited higher diversity and a greater number of exclusive species, while Area I was dominated by species more resistant to limiting conditions, such as Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. & Zucc. The C and N content in the soil showed a positive and significant correlation with the diversity of the regenerating stratum. The data suggest that the area with less vegetation cover, richness, and diversity shows signs of desertification

Agroforestry · Biology · Geography · Natural regeneration · Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems · Computer Science · Engineering · Environmental Science · Forest ecology and management · Soil Management and Crop Yield · Forestry

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