RCAAP Repository

This work aimed to evaluate the top cleft grafting, grafting under peel and budding and the position of collection influence of the propagules inside of the main plant on the survival of the grafts accomplished directly to field in Ilex paraguariensis. The experiment was carried out in the Áurea municipal district, State of Rio Grande do Sul, with propagules originated from a main tree with more than 80 years old. Three separate material types composed the treatments: sprouts of the base, of the medium part and of the apical part of the main tree. In a general way, the grafting technique at the field was shown viable, although the survival results of the grafts at the 300 days showed low (from 0 to 30%). Grafts that died after the 65 days already presented sprouted, indicating damages by excess of heat. The grafting method in full rift was shown as the most appropriate, given the union largest resistance of the graft with the rootstocks. The propagules position in the main plant did not influence the grafts survival.

The objective of this study was to investigate the behavior of physical attributes and soil carbon stocks in multi-stratified agro forestry system (AFS) compared to different types of land use, including cocoa plantation in agroecological management (CAC), pasture (PAS) and native forest (FLN). The treatments were installed at CEPLAC experimental station in Ouro Preto do Oeste, Rondonia State. Five plots of 20 m x 30 cm were installed at random in each of the four different land use. On those plots, disturbed and undisturbed soil samples in layers of 0 - 20 cm and 20 -40 cm depth were collected for determination of physical attributes and soil carbon stock. Soil density in AFS, CAC and PAS were high and promoted negative influences on soil porosity. Soil carbon stocks were influenced by different land use modality, showing at layer 0 to 20 cm (Mg m-3): 24.79 (ASF); 42.71 (CAC); 41.30 (PAS); 36.07 (FLN), and at layer 20 to 40 cm (Mg m-3): 17.26 (ASF); 31.06 (CAC); 22.31 (PAS); 25.49 (FLN). All evaluated systems presented expected soil carbon stocks, however spatial arrangements that favor the input of organic matter may contribute to increase soil carbon stocks in agroforestry systems.

We performed an environmental diagnosis study of the watershed Saraiva Stream, located in the municipality of Betim, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, through the identification and characterization of the main springs and forest remnants. In addition to quantification of the total area of forest fragments, it was compared the area subject to environmental restoration of riparian areas when applying the Brazilian environmental legislation represented by old Forest Code - Law nº 4.771/65 and the current legislation, Federal Law nº 12.651/12. Fragments were also evaluate through the landscape metrics in Geographic Information System based on ecological indicators: circularity index; isolation index; total border area; and average size of the spots. The springs and forest remnants in the watershed of Saraiva Stream are in critical condition. Current Brazilian environmental legislation demands smaller total area restoration, compromising the ecological functions performed by riverine ecosystems.

The study was conducted at Água Limpa Farm, DF, in three vegetation types: Cerrado sensu stricto, Gallery Forest and Eucalyptus urograndis plantation. The aim was to quantify and analyze the macro and micronutrients content presented in the litter stock from these environments during the dry and rainy seasons. The litter samples were collected from September 2011 to August 2012. They were dried and the nutrients content were quantified. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with three replicates for each treatment. The results were evaluated by analysis of variance, Tukey test and Pearson’s correlation. The litter macronutrient content observed at the Gallery Forest and Eucalyptus plantations during the rainy season was in the following order: N > Ca > Mg > K > S > P. During the dry season, S content was higher than Mg in Eucalyptus plantation, while no differences were observed at the Gallery Forest. Macronutrients contents observed at Cerrado sensu stricto area were N > Ca > S > Mg > K > P in the rainy season and N > Ca > K > S > Mg > P in the dry season.

The European Union (EU), through its initiative Natura 2000, established the classification and selection of protected areas at European level in order to ensure biodiversity conservation. However, there are not clear and uniform parameters to enable member countries to make the best decisions of zoning for biodiversity conservation. For this reason, a methodology based on evaluation of criteria importance for biodiversity conservation is presented in this thesis. The introduced methodology aims to establish relevant criteria that can be analyzed through statistical method of multicriteria analysis and interpolation of data with the kriginggeostatistical method. The objective is to verify the suitability of areas designated for Natura 2000 network in Castilla y León, Spain and to develop a proposal for zoning based on biodiversity importance values in consideration of land use. The proposed methodology was performed with basic criteria of biodiversity conservation that can be adapted and applied in different EU member countries contributing to an optimal selection of protected areas with clear and uniform parameters for zoning.

The evolution of the stem form of trees in stands of Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze was studied by means of taper functions and form factors. The data used were obtained by complete stem analysis and by rigorous scaling of standing trees in stands established in central-southern region of Paraná, with a sample of 45 trees. Four taper functions were adjusted for the total data set and for stratified data by classes of age. Tapering curves were constructed for different age classes. Model identity tests were performed to compare complete and reduced models. To assess the evolution of natural and artificial form factors, they were calculated for different ages, starting at 5 years old. Schöpfer´s polynomial was the selected model. There were significant differences among complete and reduced models with a slight advantage in the use of equations adjusted by age classes, as well as a significant improvement in the stem taper with the increase in age, also verified by the stabilization of the values of form factor at 22 years.

This study aimed to evaluate the leaf primary metabolism in two woody species, Sterculia foetida and Bombacopsis glabra. Both species have seeds rich in oil and they are largely found in regions with irregularities in water availability. Seedlings were grown in a greenhouse from seeds. At 140 days after emergence, 50% of the plants were subjected to salt stress for 23 days, daily receiving 100 mM of NaCl solution. In both species, leaf stomata conductance and water potential decreased quickly under salt stress. The two species showed different strategies in photosynthetic pigment concentration and components of nitrogen metabolism. S. foetida kept the pigment concentration unchanged after 23 days of stress, while B. glabra increased concentration of chlorophyll a and carotenoids. S. foetida showed a high leaf concentration of K+ in stressed plants and a Na+/K+ ratio without differences when compared to control. Thus, S. foetida presented a better ionic balance, while B. glabra invested in photoprotection. Therefore, both species present potential to be planted in Brazilian Northeast, where water deficit and salt stress are challenging for annual crops.

It is important to have a statistically robust forest information data base which can be updated and can provide long-term information. National Forest Inventories (NFI) provide one of the best large-scale sources of information, and therefore are a cornerstone of forest policies. The scopes of NFIs, which are the primary source of data for national and large-area assessments, has been broadened to include new variables to meet increasing information requirements. This paper describes the history, methodology and guidance of Spanish NFI and international requirements. The current objectives are determined by analysing future perspectives and possible direction of future assessments. These objectives include harmonization of NFI, open data source and to broaden the number of field variables monitored (multi-objective inventory) in order to effectively fulfil information requirements.

Ecological restoration plays a fundamental role in ecosystem integrity recovery from restoration of species richness and structure of plant communities. Thus, if the decision is for planting, the production of forest seedlings with high species richness subsidizes the success of this practice. The aim of this study was to analyze the richness of native tree species potentially produced in nurseries in Rio Grande Basin in Southern Minas Gerais State. The analysis was based on the Native Trees Catalogue of Minas Gerais, considering the species present in the phytogeographic subdomains of Upper Rio Grande, South Mantiqueira, Poços de Caldas Plateau and Northwest. For the analysis of species with potential to be grown in nurseries in the Basin, data from the national register of seed and seedlings (RENASEM) from 2013 were used. It was found 1.251 species naturally occurring, 102 species indexed and 49 registered producers, distributed in 36 municipalities. Only five species listed in the official threatened species list were indexed by registered producers. The richness of tree species indexed by registered producers in RENASEM in the studied region is very low, which may compromise the success of ecological restoration projects.

National Forest Inventories (NFI) cover whole countries and strive to put the resource forest and the ecosystem forest into a quantitative framework. While for forest management inventories it is very obvious that they shall support management decisions and contribute to making forest planning, silvicultural interventions, conservation management and timber sales more efficient, the purpose of NFIs is not immediately visible nor “measurable”: they are to support national (and sub-national) level policy processes that relate to forests. NFIs have a long history and do experience currently a boom because the availability of a science-based quantification of the forest resource and its changes is among the prerequisites for results-based payments to developing countries when they implement measures that are efficient - and evidenced by verifiable results – in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from forests. While forest monitoring science does currently focus very much on increasing precision and accuracy of forest monitoring, on integration of ever more efficient remote sensing techniques and modelling methods, surprisingly little research is being published on background, strategic justification, institutionalization and impact of NFIs.

During the 23rd session of the FAO-Committee on Forestry (COFO 23) held in July 2016, the voluntary guidelines on national forest monitoring were approved. These guidelines were generated to support FAO member countries on the starting-up and the implementation of their national forest monitoring systems (NFMS). Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the decision 1/CP.16 encouraged to developing country Parties to undertake actions for REDD+, and requested, inter alia: i) to develop a forest reference emission level and/of forest reference level (FREL/REL) as a baseline for the emission reductions report, and ii) a transparent and robust NFMS. This paper examines the technical assessments from UNFCCC of the FREL/REL submitted by six countries in relation to technical needs for the NFMS setting up. The analysis suggests the need to improve the procurement of ground-base data, to comply the quality of the estimations on forest emission changes, to complete the carbon stocks estimations, and to estimate the associated uncertainties. The strategic and technical planning of the NFMS is also needed, to be able to reach the acceptable preparation level for measuring, reporting and verification system of REDD+, and the FAO voluntary guidelines are a helpful tool for the step-wise approach development.

This work aimed to evaluate the suspended production of rubber-tree rootstocks with substrate in fertirrigation. Treatments were four types of nutritional solutions in completely randomized experimental design, with 5 repetitions. Fertigation was held every two days, using 200 mL of the solution by container. We evaluated plant height, stem diameter (5 cm above the plant collect), leaf area, number of leaves, dry mass of shoot and of roots, foliar nutrient contents and percentage of plants ready for grafting. The highest values for plant height, number of pairs of leaves, stem, and leaf area of rootstocks were obtained with the highest concentration of nutrients. Foliar nutrient content and percentage of plants ready for grafting were considered adequate by using the maximum fertirrigation dose tested(for 5 L: Ca(NO₃) 2.5g, MgSO4 1.75g; KNO3 1.5g; (NH4)(NO3) 1.0g; NH4H2PO4 0.9g; Zn(NO3)2 0.30g; CuSO4 0.20g; EDTA(Fe+2) 0.15g).

Bamboo is an important source of raw material of multiple uses. The development of simple techniques for its propagation is a practical way to enable its implementation in ownership of low technology. The present work had the objective of evaluating artisanal propagation methods for Bambusa vulgaris. Two types of propagules were tested, with buds budded or not, and three relative positions to the removal of vegetative material on the culm. The best propagule was with only one node, extracted from the lower thirds of the stem, presenting 72% of rooting. This result demonstrates its potential for seedling production of this species under low tech.

The wood density is one of the most important property, and it is used as the main indicator for several types of use. However, this parameter can vary substantially along the stem, either in the bottom-top or pith-bark direction. Its determination becomes essential for the qualification of the wood of any forest species. This study aimed to evaluate the radial and axial variation the Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Kuntze wood density under different ages. Twelve trees with 23, 25, 28 and 30 years were felled. Discs were collected from 10%, 35%, 55% and 75% of tree height and another – from 1.3 m above ground level. From each disc three samples were taken from different positions in radial direction for density determination: near pith, central region and near bark. It was observed a reduction in density from bottom to top (longitudinal) and from pith-bark (radial). Older trees presented higher density values.

This study aimed to evaluate the growth pattern of Cryptomeria japonica increment (L. F.) D. Don. and to describe the probability distribution in stands stablished at the municipality of Rio Negro, Paraná State. Twenty trees were sampled in a 34 years-old stand, with 3 m x 2 m spacing. Wood disks were taken from each tree at 1.3 m above the ground (DBH) to perform partial stem analysis. Diameter growth series without bark were used to generate the average cumulative growth curves for DBH (cm), mean annual increment (MAI) and current annual increment (CAI). From the increment data, the frequency distribution was evaluated by means of probability density functions (pdfs). The mean annual increment for DBH was 0.78 cm year-1 and the age of intersection of CAI and MAI curves was between the 7th and 8th years. It was found that near 43% of the species increments are concentrated bellow 0.5 cm. The results are useful to define appropriate management strategies for the species for sites similar to the studying regions, defining for example ages of silvicultural intervention, such as thinning.

Remote sensing techniques for vegetation monitoring has been more used and improved. These techniques are good alternative to be used as as basis for forest inventories. The present study aims to estimate forest variables using multispectral images associated with data from field survey. The studied area was a tropical rain forest of approximately 44,728.5 ha. A forest inventory 100% was carried out providing the volume of tree species with circumference at 1.30 m above soil level (CBH) higher than 110 cm. The used satellite was Landsat 7, scene 227/069. A radiometric correction was performed to obtain the reflectance values. Three plots sizes (40, 80, 120 m radius) were assessed for linear models adjustment. The area spectral behave presented low response on visible region (TM1, TM2 and TM3), increasing on near-infrared (TM4). TM4 band presented higher correlation with CBH (R: -0.5203). The best model to estimate showed a R²aj = 0.387 and Syx = 30.199%, estimating an average volume of 39,61 m³ ha-1. The results showed viability to use satellite images to evaluate dendrometric variables.

The objective of this work was to compare the biomass of fine roots in different physiognomies evaluating the influence of seasonality at the Amazon savannas located in Amapá and Pará States. Soil samples were collected in five positions, from 10 to 50 cm deep. Three points were allocated at typical savanna (Cerrado sensu stricto), 4 at open savanna (Campo Cerrado) and 2 at natural grassland (Campo Limpo). At each point 4 replications were performed. The influence of seasonality was verified only in Campo Cerrado in April (rainfall peak), July (end of rainy season) and October (peak of drought) of 2010 and in January of 2011 (beginning of rainy season). The physiognomies were differentiated by root mass when analyzed under different diametric classes of roots and different depths. The largest mass of fine roots occurred at the peak of the dry season. These results suggest different strategies in finest roots allocation in different physiognomies and soil depths and differences of roots dynamics to increase absorption potential during dry season.

This study aimed to adapt and test the efficiency of electrical conductivity methodology test in quality evaluation of Moringa oleifera Lam seeds. For physiological characterization four seed sets were evaluated by tests of germination, seedlings emergency, speed of emergency index, emergency first count, seedlings length and dry mass and cold test. The electrical conductivity test was carried out at 25 °C for 4, 8, 12, 16 and 24 h of immersion in 75 or 125 mL of distilled water using 25 or 50 seeds. A completely randomized design was used. The best results were obtained when using 50 seeds immersed in 75 mL or 125 mL of distilled water for 4 h. The electrical conductivity test adapted to moringa seeds was efficient in ranking sets of different vigor levels. The test may be efficiently used for physiological quality evaluation of moringa seeds.

This study aimed to evaluate physical and mechanical properties of wood-plastic composites using materials of low processing level. Residues from carpentry as wood shavings from three forest species (Pinus elliottii, Hovenia dulcis and Maclura tinctoria), and thermoplastic type were used. Data were submitted to Duncan’s test with 95% confidence. In relation to the modulus of rupture (MOR) and elasticity- (MOE), all treatments presented successful results, without difference. For the tests of internal bond and screw pullout, the results were not satisfactory. For this last test, the best result was for Hovenia dulcis. In relation to swelling in 2 h and 24 h, all treatments presented positive results. In general, the results were not influenced by the species used.

This study aimed to evaluate the formation of functional groups, in 1994 and 2012, in two areas of savanna with different fire history in Planaltina, Federal District, Brazil. In the Area 1 biennial burnings were applied in August 1988, 1990 and 1992; there was fire protection until July 1994 in the Area 2, the control area. Accidental fire occurred in both areas in August 1994, but from September 1994 to 2012 they were protected. These analysis included individuals with abundance ≥ 5 using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA). The groups were defined according to the following attributes: dispersal and pollination syndromes, leaf phenology, life form, type of bark and ability to sprouting after fire. Both areas presented differences in the formation of functional groups in 1994 and 2012. Species functionally similar and with lower diversity of attributes were observed in Area 1, in 1994. The exclusion of fire favored the recruitment of other species and greater diversity of functional attributes in 2012.