EVALUATION OF A METHOD OF SILVIGENIC ANALYSIS IN A SEASONAL SEMIDECIDUOUS FOREST

Aiming to contribute to the biological interpretation of silvigenics mosaics obtained by line interception method for inventorying canopy trees, this was applied in an area of 5.12 ha of a semi deciduous forest at the Ecological Station of Caetetus (Galia, Sao Paulo state, Brazil). Statistical analyses (Qui-square and adjusted residues) were applied to verify whether the eco-unit categories are associated with floristic composition and / or successional species groups. The predominance of steady-state eco-units 2A (compound of present trees) combined with the low frequency of eco-units in reorganization (gaps) and development eco-units indicated that the studied forest is in mature phase and little disturbed. Some few coherent associations were found between pioneers and early secondary species with eco-units which defining tree architectures allow larger entrance of light. Considering the eco-physiological parameters used to distinguish the successional species groups, many incoherent associations were found between late secondary species with eco-unit categories that are presumed to represent the earlier phases of silvigenesis. This kind of result suggests that the studied method of silvigenic analysis is not adequate to describe phases of forest regeneration.23239140