Phytosociology as a tool for forest restoration: a study case in the extreme South of Atlantic Forest Biome

The biodiversity loss, due to anthropic activities, has generated the necessity of studies that enable the ecosystem conservation. Nevertheless, the majority of studies restrict themselves to the floristic composition and phytosociological structure from determined pre-established diameter, neglecting attributes of the species, such as its (their) niche (s) of occurrence in the forest, thus, making it difficult to identify potential species for restoration. In this way, the present study aimed to evaluate the structure of a forest fragment in the extreme South of Atlantic Forest Biome, through identification of species in the different layers. There were used 18 parcels of 10 m × 20 m, distributed systematically, where the vegetation was evaluated in four size classes. The characterization of the structure of the arboreal-shrub of the forest was performed by the data comparison of the floristic composition and phytosociological structure. In the fragment of forest studied, there were sampled a total of 2.176 individuals. The floristic composition of the area includes 74 species, belonging to 58 genera and 28 botanical families. We observed differences in relation of richness and diversity of species among the analyzed layers, the intermediate layer presented the lowest richness of species, being the pioneers and initial secondaries the least representatives. Trichilia claussenii, Sorocea bonplandii, Actinostemon concolor, Apuleia leiocarpa and Nectandra megapotamica were the most abundant species and well distributed in the different size classes, and they can be used in the enrichment of areas in process of restoration in the scope of the Deciduous Seasonal Forest in the extreme South of Atlantic Forest Biome. Ocotea puberula, Allophylus edulis, Cedrela fissillis and Machaerium paraguariense formed a group of species with expressive representativeness in the arboreal layer, thus they can be used in the moment of planting as species to the fast covering of the area.