Resumo Os ecossistemas naturais estão sob grave ameaça em todo o mundo e as políticas ambientais são essenciais para minimizar os impactos presentes e futuros na biodiversidade, nos serviços ecossistêmicos e nas mudanças climáticas. O Novo Código Florestal no Brasil é a principal política de proteção da vegetação nativa em terras privadas, que compreende 54% da vegetação nativa remanescente brasileira. No entanto, os conflitos entre as preocupações ambientais e agrícolas na sua implementação exigem soluções equilibradas e baseadas em evidências científicas. Para enfrentar o desafio de aplicar a ciência no estabelecimento de políticas ambientais, desenvolvemos um projeto científico financiado pela Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) para apoiar a implementação do Novo Código Florestal no Estado de São Paulo, como parte do Programa Biota/FAPESP. O projeto foi conduzido de forma diferente de um projeto de pesquisa regular: o objetivo amplo foi fornecer suporte científico para a implementação do Novo Código Florestal pelo Estado, a partir de uma interação participativa entre as partes interessadas para construir objetivos específicos, métodos e discussão de resultados, dentro de uma equipe de pesquisa interdisciplinar e intersetorial. Aqui, apresentamos as lições aprendidas durante e após os quatro anos de desenvolvimento do projeto de pesquisa para avaliar como o conhecimento científico pode ser produzido e adotado na implementação de uma política ambiental específica. Apresentamos os principais resultados e os desafios enfrentados na tentativa de incluir dados científicos no processo decisório. Apresentamos também desafios atuais e futuros na implementação do Novo Código Florestal que podem ser resolvidos com evidências científicas. As lições aprendidas mostraram que mesmo concebendo o projeto de forma a atender as necessidades de apoio à implementação da política ambiental, evitando dificuldades normalmente apontadas por projetos semelhantes, houve uma grande dificuldade para que contribuições científicas fossem adotadas no processo decisório. A maioria das informações e conselhos científicos, mesmo após discussão e entendimento comum entre um grupo diversificado de partes interessadas, foi ignorada nas fases finais de tomada de decisão.

Abstract Natural ecosystems are under severe threat worldwide and environmental policies are essential to minimize present and future impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services and climate change. The New Forest Act in Brazil is the main policy to protect native vegetation in private lands, which comprise 54% of the remaining Brazilian native vegetation. However, conflicts between environmental and agricultural concerns in its implementation demand for balanced solutions based on scientific evidence. To face the challenge of applying science in environmental policy establishment, we developed a scientific project funded by the São Paulo State Research Foundation (FAPESP) to support the implementation of the New Forest Act in São Paulo State, as part of the Biota/FAPESP Program. The project was conducted differently from a regular research project: the broad objective was to provide scientific support to the State’s implementation of the New Forest Act, based on a participatory interaction among stakeholders to build specific objectives, methods, and discussion of results, within an interdisciplinary and intersectoral research team. Here, we present the lessons learned during and after the four years of the research project development to evaluate how scientific knowledge can be produced and adopted in the implementation of a specific environmental policy. We present the main outcomes and the challenges faced in trying to include scientific data in the decision-making process. We also present current and future challenges in the New Forest Act implementation that could be solved with scientific evidence. The lessons learned showed that even designing the project in order to meet the needs to support the implementation of the environmental policy, avoiding difficulties normally pointed out by similar projects, there was a great difficulty for scientific contributions to be adopted in the decision-making process. Most of the scientific information and advice, even after discussion and common understanding among a diverse stakeholder group, were ignored or over-ruled in the final decision-making phases.

ABSTRACT In tropical semi-deciduous forests, where 20-50 % of canopy trees shed their leaves in the dry season, species with varying degrees of leaf deciduousness share the same space and resources. Here, we describe the tree community in a 10.24-ha plot to assess whether small-scale variation in canopy structure and soil conditions are associated with changes in tree community structure, diversity, and composition. We sampled 11,585 individuals with diameter at breast height ≥ 4.8 cm belonging to 146 species. Plot density (1,129 trees ha-1) and basal area (24.81 m2 ha-1) were smaller than other similar forests, which may be due to an old wind disturbance. For 8.96 ha, we evaluated the relationship between abiotic factors and community descriptors using regression models. Results varied within size classes, but canopy openness was associated with changes in the community structure and diversity, and soil fertility did not affect species diversity. Tree density, basal area, and diversity were smaller in areas with more canopy gaps. Tree density and basal area increase with phosphorus availability, while the density of deciduous trees increased with canopy openness and base saturation. Thus, we found evidence that canopy openness and soil can explain small-scale variations of forest structure and diversity.

ABSTRACT There is a knowledge gap regarding the influence of bamboos on natural regeneration. This study evaluated how abundance, richness, dominance, evenness, diversity of the seed bank and biotic and abiotic factors (e.g., canopy opening, herbaceous cover, and litter thickness), differ between bamboo dominated (B) and non-dominated (NB) areas. The study was conducted in a fragment of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest surrounded by an agricultural landscape. Soil samples were taken at 20 points in each area at two time periods, to evaluate the seed bank. The results show that diversity and structural parameters of the seed bank differ between areas and time periods. There was higher abundance and richness of seedlings of herbaceous ruderal species in area B and a greater abundance of seedlings of arboreal species in area NB. Sampling points in the bamboo dominated area had greater canopy openings and greater cover by herbaceous species, facilitating the establishment of individuals belonging to the families Poaceae and Cyperaceae, which could have competitive advantages over other species of the regenerating community. Considering that bamboo can affect the seed bank, long-term studies are needed to understand successional dynamics and evaluate suitable management actions to conserve the diversity in remaining forests.

RESUMO No contexto da conservação biológica, os elevados níveis de degradação ambiental têm como origem principal a expansão histórica da fronteira agrícola brasileira, fenômeno particularmente intenso na Mata Atlântica. Neste contexto, o Laboratório de Ecologia e Restauração Florestal da Universidade de São Paulo desenvolve, desde 1998, o Programa de Adequação Ambiental e Agrícola de Propriedades Rurais (PAAA). O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar uma avaliação da efetividade ambiental e socioeconômica do citado programa, identificando seus principais sucessos e deficiências. Após a avaliação, verificou-se que o programa obteve benefícios ambientais e socioeconômicos diversos, como a produção de 60,000 a 300,000 mudas de espécies nativas por propriedade, além da geração de 106 empregos diretos e a doação anual de 16,000 a 120,000 mudas. Os resultados do PAAA implantado em diferentes propriedades servem como subsídio para fortalecer a pressão pela criação de políticas públicas para potencializar as ações de regularização ambiental e agrícola tanto no Estado de São Paulo, quanto em propriedades rurais localizadas em outros Estados do Brasil.

ABSTRACT In the context of biological conservation, the high levels of environmental degradation has mainly originated from the historic expansion of the Brazilian agricultural frontier, phenomenon particularly intense in the Atlantic Forest. The Laboratório de Ecologia e Restauração Florestal of the Universidade de São Paulo has been developing, since 1998, the Programa de Adequação Ambiental e Agrícola de Propriedades Rurais (PAAA). The research’s goal was to evaluate the environmental and socioeconomic effectiveness of the developed program, identifying its main successes and failures. After evaluating the program, it was established that it has obtained several environmental and socioeconomic benefits, such as the production from 60,000 to 300,000 seedlings, the generation of 106 jobs and the annual donation of 16,000 to 120,000 seedlings per program. The results of the evaluated PAAA can be used as a subsidy to strengthen the pressure for the creation of public policies to enhance the agricultural and environmental regularization actions in the State of São Paulo and in rural properties located in other States of Brazil.

Resumo: A Lei de Proteção da Vegetação Nativa - 2012 - (LPVN) é a principal lei brasileira para proteção da vegetação nativa (VN) em terras privadas. A LPVN, atualmente em fase de implementação, reduziu os requerimentos de Reserva Legal (RL) presentes no Código Florestal (CF) de 1965 através de uma série de mecanismos legais. Entre eles, o Artigo 68 (Art.68) elimina a obrigação de recomposição ou restauração da VN convertida sem violação da lei vigente à época da conversão. O Art.68 é um dos mais controversos mecanismos da LPVN e cujos efeitos ainda não são conhecidos. Nós desenvolvemos um modelo para estimar os efeitos do Art.68 utilizando o estado de São Paulo, Brasil, como estudo de caso. Para isso, levantamos marcos legais nos quais os requerimentos mínimos de preservação da VN foram alterados. Em seguida, levantamos a existência de dados espaciais da cobertura de VN com a precisão necessária para cada marco legal. Combinando os marcos legais com os dados espaciais encontrados, criamos dois cenários incluindo os efeitos do Art.68 e um cenário linha de base para controlar tais efeitos. O primeiro cenário considerou apenas um marco legal, o CF de 1965 (cenário "1965"), enquanto o segundo incluiu a Lei Federal de proteção ao Cerrado de 1989 (cenário "1965/89"). O cenário "1965" reduz os déficits de RL em 49% quando comparado ao cenário de base, dispensando os proprietários de terra da obrigação de restaurar ou recompor 423 mil hectares (kha) de VN. O cenário "1989/65" dispensa da obrigação de restauração ou recomposição 507 kha de VN, representando uma redução de 59% do déficit de RL em comparação ao cenário base. A redução apresentada pelo cenário "1965/89" assume grande importância uma vez que se concentra em áreas de Cerrado, bioma já extremamente fragmentado e impactado. Em conjunto com as reduções promovidas por outros Artigos da LPVN, estes efeitos revelam grande preocupação sobre o papel das RL como uma ferramenta para a conservação de VN em terras privadas, ameaçando compromissos governamentais de restauração e indicando que estratégias de comando e controle deverão ser complementadas por políticas de incentivo para atingir os objetivos de conservação desejados.

Abstract: The Native Vegetation Protection Law - 2012 - (NVPL) is the main Brazilian regulation for protecting native vegetation (NV) on private land. The NVPL, currently in the implementation phase, reduced Legal Reserves (LR) requirements compared to its previous version, the 1965's Forest Act (FA), through several legal mechanisms. Among them, Article 68 (Art.68) exempts landholders from LR obligations if NV was converted without offending the legislation in place at the time of the conversion. The technical implementation of Art. 68 is controversial and its effects are still unknown. We developed a model to estimate the effects of Art.68 on LR using São Paulo State (Brazil) as case study. We analyzed former environmental laws to identify key periods in which NV preservation requirements had changed. After, we searched for past spatial data on NV cover with sufficient accuracy for each legal benchmark. Combining legal benchmarks with spatial data, we created two scenarios for Art.68 effects, plus a baseline scenario. The first scenario considered a single legal benchmark, the 1965's FA (scenario "1965"), while the other included the 1989 Cerrado's protection Federal Law as a second benchmark (scenario "1965/89"). The baseline scenario did not include Art.68 effects. Scenario "1965" reduced LR deficits in 49% compared to the baseline scenario, waiving landholders from restoration or offsetting needs in 423 thousand hectares (kha) of NV. Scenario "1965/89" waved 507 kha of NV from restoration needs and represented a 59% reduction in LR deficit compared to the baseline scenario. The LR reduction by scenario "1965/89" assumed particular importance considering that the additional cutback was concentrated on Cerrado, an already very fragmented and impacted region. Together with reductions from other NVPL rules, the additional effects of Art. 68 unfolded great concerns about the role of LR as a tool for NV preservation on private land, threating governmental restoration commitments, and pointing that conservation command and control approaches should be complemented with incentive policies to achieve the desired and committed standards.

Abstract DNA barcoding helps to identify species, especially when identification is based on parts of organisms or life stages such as seeds, pollen, wood, roots or juveniles. However, the implementation of this approach strongly depends on the existence of complete reference libraries of DNA sequences. If such a library is incomplete, DNA-based identification will be inefficient. Here, we assess if DNA barcoding can already be implemented in species-rich tropical regions. We focus on the tree flora of São Paulo state, Brazil, which contains more than 2000 tree species. Using new DNA sequence data and carefully assembled GenBank accessions, we assembled 12,113 sequences from ten different regions. The ITS, rbcL, psbA-trnH, matK and trnL regions were better represented within the available sequences for São Paulo tree flora. Currently, only 58% of the São Paulo tree flora currently have at least one barcoding sequence available. However, these species represent on average 89% of the trees in São Paulo state forests. Therefore, conservation-oriented and ecological studies can already benefit from DNA barcoding to obtain more accurate species identifications. We present which taxa remain underrepresented for the São Paulo tree flora and discuss the implications of this result for other species-rich tropical regions.

RESUMO Considerando o grande número de áreas degradadas e abandonadas provenientes de atividades agropastoris, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito do uso do solo com pastagem e citricultura interrompido há nove anos, e da distância do remanescente florestal na regeneração natural no Parque Estadual do Jurupará. Avaliamos a densidade da chuva de sementes, banco de sementes e indivíduos jovens. Foram instalados três transectos de 300 × 20 m e delimitadas 15 parcelas de 20 × 20 m, sendo sorteadas cinco parcelas de cada transecto. O tipo de cobertura vegetal foi significativo para chuva de sementes, que apresentou maior densidade na área de citricultura em relação à pastagem. Na pastagem, a distância do remanescente florestal não foi significativa para os parâmetros analisados. A área de citricultura atuou como catalisadora do processo de regeneração natural, enquanto a pastagem necessita de manejo para reduzir a competição das gramíneas com a regeneração natural.

ABSTRACT Considering the large number of degraded and abandoned areas resulting from plantation and pasture activities, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of land use and distance of a forest remnant on natural regeneration in the Jurupará State Park, where pasture and citrus plantation were abandoned nine years ago. It was evaluated the density of seed rain, seed bank and saplings in these past land uses. Three transects of 300 × 20 m were placed, with 15 delimited plots of 20 × 20 m; from each transect five of these plots were surveyed. The past land use significantly influenced the seed rain, which presented higher density in the ex-citrus plantation in relation to the pasture. The latter, however, presented no significant effect on the variables analyzed. The ex-citrus plantation serves as a catalyst for the natural regeneration process, while the pasture requires management to reduce grass competition with natural regeneration.

RESUMO Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar a composição e dinâmica das espécies presentes no banco de sementes no interior do Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho, em uma parcela permanente de 10 ha, subdividida em 256 subparcelas de 20 × 20 m. Destas, foram sorteadas 25 subparcelas, das quais foram coletadas três amostras de solo de 0,25 × 0,25 × 0,05 m. Germinaram 3.204 sementes de 93 espécies, a forma de vida arbórea representou 50% do total de sementes germinadas, dentre estas 97% eram intolerantes à sombra e 3% tolerantes. A síndrome de dispersão dominante foi a zoocórica. A similaridade florística entre coletas foi baixa e ocorreu alta variação espacial das espécies. Aceitamos as hipóteses de que as espécies presentes no banco de sementes são predominantemente arbustivas e arbóreas, intolerantes à sombra e zoocóricas e que a sua composição florística varia no tempo e no espaço.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to characterize the composition and dynamics of the species present in the seed bank within the Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho, in a permanent plot of 10 ha subdivided into 256 sub-plots of 20 × 20 m. From these, 25 sub-plots were randomly selected, from which three soil samples of 0.25 × 0.25 × 0.05 m were collected. As a result, 3,204 seeds of 93 species were germinated. The arboreal life form presented 50% of the total germinated seeds, of which 97% were intolerant to shade and 3% tolerant. The dominant dispersal syndrome was the zoochory. The floristic similarity between collectings was low and there was high spatial variation of species. We accept the hypotheses that the species present in the seed bank are predominantly shrubs and trees, shade intolerant and zoochoric, and that the floristic composition varies in time and space.

We investigated the occurrence of associations between overstory and understory tree species in a semideciduous tropical forest. We identified and measured all trees of nine canopy species with diameter at breast height ≥4.8 cm in a 10.24 ha plot and recorded all individuals beneath their canopies ("understory individuals") within the same diameter class. The total density of understory individuals did not significantly differ under different overstory species. One overstory species (Ceiba speciosa) showed higher understory species richness compared with five other species. There was a strong positive association between three overstory species (Esenbeckia leiocarpa, Savia dictyocarpa, and C. speciosa) and the density of seven understory species (Balfourodendron riedelianum, Chrysophyllum gonocarpum, E. leiocarpa, Holocalyx balansae, Machaerium stipitatum, Rhaminidium elaeocarpum, and S. dictyocarpa). These results probably reflect the outcome of a complex set of interactions including facilitation and competition, and further studies are necessary to better understand the magnitude and type of the effects of individual overstory species on understory species. The occurrence of species-specific associations shown here reinforces the importance of non-random processes in structuring plant communities and suggest that the influence of overstory species on understory species in high-diversity forests may be more significant than previously thought.

O método "inventário de árvores de dossel por interceptação de linhas" foi aplicado para mapear o mosaico silvigênico em uma área de 5,12 ha de cerradão na Estação Ecológica de Assis (SP), e avaliado quanto à sua aplicabilidade para estimar o grau de conservação e para evidenciar os processos de regeneração neste tipo de floresta com dossel aberto. Também foi avaliada a distribuição de espécies tolerantes ou intolerantes à sombra entre as categorias de ecounidades. O mosaico compreendeu cinco clareiras (ecounidades em reorganização) e 1296 indivíduos, sendo 845 em ecounidades em equilíbrio, 241 em desenvolvimento, e 210 em degradação. Coerentemente com o dossel aberto induzindo reiteração precoce, predominaram as ecounidades em equilíbrio 2B (árvores altas com fuste baixo). Vochysia tucanorum Mart., Xylopia aromatica (Lam.) Mart. E Plenckia populnea Reissek, espécies intolerantes à sombra, ocorreram preferencialmente em ecounidades iniciais da silvigênese. Mas, a maioria das espécies, principalmente as tolerantes à sombra, não se associou com quaisquer categorias de ecounidades. O método evidenciou a maturidade e o bom estado de conservação arquitetural do cerradão estudado. O estudo mostrou que pode haver sobreposição de ecounidades em desenvolvimento e em degradação quando estas últimas são delineadas por árvores mortas em pé que permitem o crescimento de indivíduos jovens ao redor delas.

The method "line-intercept sampling method of canopy trees" was applied to map the silvigenic mosaic of a patch of 5.12 ha in a cerradão at Estação Ecológica de Assis, in São Paulo state, aiming to verify its applicability in estimating the conservation status and to show the regeneration processes in this type of forest with open canopy. We also analyzed the distribution of shade tolerant or intolerant species among the categories of eco-unities. The mosaic comprised five tree fall gaps (eco-unities in reorganization) and 1,296 individuals, 845 of which in eco-unities in equilibrium, 241 in development, and 210 degrading. The predominance of eco-units in equilibrium 2B (tall trees with low pole) is coherent with the open canopy. The shade intolerant species Vochysia tucanorum, Xylopia aromatica and Plenckia populnea presented occurred preferably in starting eco-units of silvigenesis. But most of the species, especially the shade tolerant ones, did not present any correlation with eco-unit categories. The method revealed the maturity and the good architectural conservation status of the studied cerradão. We noticed that there may be overlapping of eco-unities in development and degrading when this latter one is delimited by dead standing trees that allow the growth of young individuals around them.

Investigations of seed size and number differences among plant populations growing in contrasting habitats can provide relevant information about ecological strategies that optimize reproductive effort. This may imply important consequences for biodiversity conservation and restoration. Therefore, we sought to investigate seed size-number trade-off in Euterpe edulis populations growing in plant communities in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Seed dry mass and seed number per bunch were evaluated in 2008 and 2009 in large remnants of the Seasonally Dry Forest, Restinga Forest and Atlantic Rainforest in southeastern Brazil, in 20 individuals per site and year. Seed size and seed number varied among forest types, but a seed size-number trade-off was neither observed within nor among populations. Positive association between seed size and number was found in the Atlantic Rainforest, and reduced seed crop was not accompanied by heavier seeds in the Restinga Forest. Seed dry mass declined in 2009 in all three forest types. Compared to seed number in 2008, palms of both the Restinga Forest and the Atlantic Rainforest produced in 2009 higher yields of smaller seeds - evidence of between years seed size-number trade-off -, while the Seasonally Dry Forest population produced a reduced number of smaller seeds. Such a flexible reproductive strategy, involving neutral, positive, and negative associations between seed size and number could enhance the ecological amplitude of this species and their potential to adapt to different environment conditions.

O presente estudo objetivou avaliar a taxa de sobrevivência e crescimento inicial de 30 espécies arbóreas nativas, de mudas acondicionadas em tubetão (290 cm³), tubetinho (56 cm³) e bandeja (9 cm³), com e sem utilização de hidrogel no plantio. As espécies pertenciam a todos os grupos sucessionais e a 17 famílias botânicas. Como resultado, concluiu-se que as espécies acondicionadas em tubetão obtiveram menores porcentagens de mortalidade, seguidas pelo tubetinho e bandeja. Algumas espécies produzidas em bandeja mostraram índices de mortalidade menores, se comparadas às em tubetinhos, apresentando possibilidades de uso, com manejos que garantam o aumento da sobrevivência inicial das mudas. O hidrogel não interferiu no estabelecimento e crescimento das mudas nos diferentes recipientes. Sobre desenvolvimento em crescimento e incremento em altura, concluiu-se que, garantido o estabelecimento das mudas, não houve diferenças entre recipientes, reforçando que manejos diferenciados poderão reduzir custos na restauração, em situações que exijam plantio total.

This study evaluated survival and early growth of 30 native species, planted in the containers tubetão (290 cm³), tubetinho (56 cm³), and bandeja (9 cm³), with and without use of hydrogel at planting. The species contemplated all successional groups and 17 botanical families. As a result, we concluded that the species from tubetão had lower percentages of mortality, followed by tubetinho and bandeja. Some species produced in bandeja showed lower mortality, when compared to those of tubetinhos, showing the possibility of its use, with managements that ensure the initial survival of the seedlings. The hydrogel did not affect the establishment and growth of seedlings, in all containers. We concluded that ensuring the establishment of seedlings, there were no differences between containers, stressing that different managements might reduce costs in the restoration with total planting.

O padrão anual de fenologia da frutificação de 23 espécies arbóreas e arbustivas nativas de Fernando de Noronha, PE, Brasil foi caracterizado com o objetivo de orientar a coleta de sementes, de maneira a guiar a implantação de um programa local de restauração. Verificou-se que a maioria das espécies (74%) obteve maiores frequências absolutas de frutificação durante a época de chuvas (janeiro a julho) e 26% durante a época seca, sendo que a frutificação das espécies durou, em média, um mês e meio. O índice de correlação de Spearman apontou uma correlação positiva mediana entre as fenofases estudadas e a precipitação. Os estudos de fenologia da frutificação são estratégicos para o planejamento da coleta de sementes e produção de mudas para a restauração, especialmente onde o processo de Restauração Ecológica está se iniciando e ainda carece de informações, como é o caso de Fernando de Noronha.

The annual pattern of fructification phenology of 23 native species of trees and bushes of Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco State, Brazil was characterized with the aim of guiding the seed collection towards the implementation of a local restoration program. It was found that most species (74%) presented higher absolute frequencies of fructification during the rainy season (January to July) as opposed to 26% during the dry season, and the fructification lasted, on average, one month and a half. The Spearman correlation coefficient indicated a positive correlation between the studied phenophases and the precipitation. This kind of study is strategic for planning the seed collection and seedling production for restoration programs, especially in places where the process of Ecological Restoration is just beginning and still lacks information, such as Fernando de Noronha.

Alternative methods to control invasive fodder grasses are necessary to reduce the use of herbicides in forest restoration, which has been carried out primarily in riparian zones. We sought to investigate if inter-row cultivation of crotalaria (Crotalaria breviflora DC) or pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duschene ex. Poir) with native tree species is an efficient strategy to control invasive fodder grasses in restoration plantings. We tested five treatments in a randomized block design, namely (1) control of brachiaria grass (Urochloa decumbens (Stapf.) Webster) with glyphosate in the implementation and post-planting grass control of the reforestation, (2 and 3) glyphosate use in the implementation and inter-row sowing of crotalaria (2) or pumpkin (3), and control of brachiaria by mowing in the post-planting phase, (4 and 5) mowing in the implementation and inter-row sowing of crotalaria (4) or pumpkin (5), and control of brachiaria by mowing in the post-planting phase. Post-planting grass control was carried out four and nine months after tree seedling planting. Throughout 13 months, we evaluated the percentage of ground cover by brachiaria grass, pumpkin production, and native tree seedling mortality, height and crown cover. The exclusive use of glyphosate, without inter-row sowing of pumpkin or crotalaria showed the most favorable results for controlling brachiaria grass and, consequently, for tree seedling development. Hence, inter-row cultivation of green manure or short-lived crop species is not enough to control invasive grasses in restoration plantings, and complementary weeding is necessary to reduce the highly competitive potential of C4 grasses for supporting native species seedlings growth.

RESUMO Visando contribuir para a interpretação biológica de mosaicos silvigênicos obtidos pelo método de interceptação de linhas para inventariar árvores de dossel, este foi aplicado numa área de 5,12 ha de uma Floresta Estacional Semidecidual na Estação Ecológica de Caetetus (Gália, São Paulo). Análises estatísticas (Qui-quadrado e resíduos ajustados) foram aplicadas para verificar se categorias de ecounidades estão associadas à composição florística e/ou aos grupos sucessionais de espécies. O predomínio de ecounidades em equilíbrio 2A (composta por árvores do presente) combinado à baixa frequência de ecounidades em reorganização (clareiras) ou em desenvolvimento indicou que a floresta estudada se encontra em fase madura e é pouco perturbada. Foram encontradas algumas associações coerentes entre espécies pioneiras e secundárias iniciais com ecounidades formadas por árvores que possuem arquiteturas que permitem maior entrada de luz. Considerando os parâmetros ecofisiológicos usados para distinguir grupos sucessionais de espécies, muitas associações incoerentes foram encontradas entre espécies secundárias tardias e categorias de ecounidades que, presumidamente, representam fases iniciais da silvigênese. Esse tipo de resultado sugere que o método de análise silvigênico estudado não é adequado para descrever as fases de regeneração da floresta.

ABSTRACT 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 (Gália, São 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.