Abstract We used seed rain to monitor a conserved forest and a 5-6-year-old forest undergoing natural regeneration after fire. The sampled species were classified according to regionality, life forms, dispersal modes, and successional stage, and the forests were compared. The type of forest and time since disturbance had significant effect on the abundance of seeds - 67.3% being produced in the forest under restoration. Biological diversity was higher in the conserved forest. On the other hand, species richness was not affected by the type of forest, and the species composition was similar between forests. In addition, we found similar proportions of life forms, zoochorous species, and non-pioneer species in the forests. Our study shows that natural regenerating forests can recover different attributes of the seed rain in few years when in forest matrices. Thus, to accelerate restoration and create trustworthy forests we should conserve the remaining mature fragments and use them to facilitate ecological restoration.

RESUMOTão importante quanto o estabelecimento de projetos de restauração ecológica é sua avaliação na fase posterior da implantação para saber se a floresta está se tornando autossustentável ou necessita de redirecionamentos. Assim, procurou-se conhecer a situação atual de uma mata ciliar reabilitada há cinco anos, inserida em uma região antrópica impactada, no leito do rio das Velhas, Minas Gerais, estudando a abertura de dossel e o recrutamento de indivíduos regenerantes como indicadores vegetais. Foram alocadas 15 parcelas na mata, onde foram tomadas fotografias hemisféricas para a análise da abertura de dossel e a avaliação de todas as plântulas entre 0,30 m e 1,30 m de altura. A abertura de dossel variou de 23,7% a 38,8% entre as estações climáticas, e apenas 192 plântulas foram encontradas, pertencentes a 13 espécies, cinco delas exóticas e agressivas. Embora a abertura de dossel tenha sido baixa, parece que a penetração lateral de luz tem favorecido o desenvolvimento e a dominância de plantas de espécies invasoras, conquanto poucas espécies nativas têm sido recrutadas. As plantas exóticas/invasoras podem comprometer o sucesso da restauração, principalmente ao competir com as espécies nativas plantadas. Os resultados evidenciaram que a mata ciliar ainda não é sustentável e requer algumas ações de manejo para controlar as plantas invasoras e garantir a preservação da mata e suas funções ecológicas ao longo do tempo.

ABSTRACTAs important as the establishment of projects of ecological restoration is its assessment post-implementation to know whether the area is becoming self-sustainable or need to be redirected. In this way, this study aimed to know the current situation of a 5-year-old rehabilitated riparian forest,inserted in an anthropogenic impacted region,at the das Velhas River, Minas Gerais State, studying the canopy openness and recruitment of seedlings as plant indicators. 15 plots were allocated in the forest, where hemispherical photographs were taken to analyze the canopy openness and evaluate all seedlings from 0.30 m to 1.30 m height.Canopy openness ranged from 23.7% to 38.8% between seasons and only 192 seedlings were found,from 13 species, five of them exotic and aggressive. Although canopy openness was low, it seems that lateral penetration of light has been favoring the development and dominancy of plants from invasive species, whereas few native ones have been recruited. The exotic/invasive plants may compromise the success of restoration mainly by competition with native planted species. The outcomes evidenced an unsustainability of the riparian forest and the requirement of some management actions to control exotic and invasive plants and ensure the preservation of the area and its ecological roles over time.

Despite their extreme importance for environmental balance, riparian forests have been severely disturbed over time. This study aimed to identify grass species and determine their distribution in a disturbed stretch of riparian forest along Pimentas creek, in the municipality of Matutina, which is in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Among four plots established within the study area, we recorded Pennisetum purpureum Schumach., Urochloa mutica (Forssk.) T.Q. Nguyen, Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R.D. Webster, Paspalum notatum Flüggé and Andropogon bicornis L. The most common species was Pennisetum purpureum, which occurred in all of the plots, more frequently in those that had been disturbed. The proportions of exotic and native grasses, as well as their distribution, differed significantly among the plots. The distribution of the grass species varied according to the level of degradation of the creek bank, occurring more frequently where the bank had been disturbed. Therefore, we assume that grasses can be used as indicators of degradation in riparian zones. We also found that grasses are less efficient in preventing erosion than is the typical riparian vegetation.

O manguezal é um ecossistema de grande complexidade que ocorre na interface entre os ambientes marinhos e terrestres, mas que apresenta baixa riqueza de espécies vegetais adaptadas às suas condições diferenciadas. Avaliar a estrutura e distribuição da vegetação no manguezal do rio Piraquê-Açu, ES, associando-as com parâmetros abióticos ao longo de um gradiente, foi o objetivo deste estudo. Em seis parcelas de 100 m² cada, foram registrados 306 indivíduos vivos e um morto, pertencentes às espécies Laguncularia racemosa, Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia schaueriana, Terminalia catappa e outras quatro indeterminadas, sendo L. racemosa de maior densidade, dominância, área basal e IVI. A altura média das árvores foi de 4,2 m (DP±1,9) e a CAP, de 12,4 cm (DP±9,5), estando a maioria dos indivíduos em classes de CAP até 10 cm. O manguezal encontrava-se em estado juvenil e pouco desenvolvido estruturalmente, e houve distinção na distribuição das espécies na área, com espécies associadas ocorrendo na parcela mais elevada e menos úmida. As variáveis abióticas diferiram entre as parcelas, contudo apenas a umidade do substrato apresentou relação significativa com a abundância de indivíduos e circunferência dos troncos.

The mangrove is an ecosystem of great complexity that occurs at the interface between the marine and terrestrial environments. Consequently, it has low richness of vegetables species, adapted to their different physical and chemical conditions. The objectives of this study were to assess the structure and distribution of vegetation in the mangrove river Piraquê-açu/ES, associated with abiotic parameters along a flooding gradient. Three hundred and six alive individuals and one dead were recorded in six 100m² plots. The plants belong to the following species: Laguncularia racemosa, Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia schaueriana, Terminalia catappa and four undetermined. L. racemosa was the species with the highest density, dominance, basal area and IVI. The average height of the trees was 4.2 m (SD±1.9 m) and CBH (circumference at breast height) was 12.4 cm (SD±9.5), with the majority of individuals in CBH class of 10 cm. The mangrove forest studied is in juvenile stage, with minor structural development. A significant difference was found in the distribution of the species in the area, with associated species occurring in the plot on higher altitudes and lower soil water content. Although all abiotic variables differed among the plots, only substrate moisture showed significant relationship with the abundance of individuals and circumference of the trunks.