This work aims to identify the secondary compounds and evaluate their behaviour in Sebastiania commersoniana (Baill.) Smith and Downs (Euphorbiaceae) and Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden (Myrtaceae) leaves during different decomposition stages in a first-order stream in northern Rio Grande do Sul. Leaves of the two species were incubated in the stream and were removed after 0, 1, 30 and 60 days to determine decomposition rate and perform chemical analysis by gas chromatography. Fourteen compounds in S. commersoniana and 25 in E. grandis were identified. Palmitic acid was the most frequent compound in both species throughout the experiment; the amount of this acid and the other compounds varied during the study period. The chemical complexity of E. grandis leaves may have influenced their decomposition, which was slower than that of S. commersoniana leaves.
environmental quality; Eucalyptus grandis; riparian vegetation; Sebastiania commersoniana
