Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Use of geotextile collars in the revegetation of a fragment of gallery forest in the Brasília Botanical Garden, Brazil: seedlings survival and development

Abstract

Human activities have caused damage to Cerrado, the second largest Brazilian biome. Among the most threatened Cerrado phyto-physiognomies stand out gallery forests. Many projects have aimed at gallery forest restoration, but herb invasion hinders the establishment and development of Cerrado woody species.In this scenario, 2 ha of gallery forest along Cabeça de Veado stream within the Brasília Botanical Garden were cleared for subsistence agriculture and the area was subsequently dominated by Melinis minutiflora Beauv. (molasses grass). Some attempts at site restoration have failed due to competition between M. minutiflora and planted tree seedlings. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of using geotextile collars made of natural fibers on survival and development of Cerrado tree seedlings introduced in the area dominated by molasses grass. Seedlings of third native tree species were planted in holes chemically fertilized, and half of seedlings received geotextile collars while the other half did not for experimental control purpose. Four surveys were carried out, when survival, seedling height and diameter were measured. Results indicate that the geotextile collars increased seedlings survival in 19.6% and seven out third species achieved greater al-lometric increment from the use of geotextile collars. Increments of two species were higher in the absence of collars and the increment of half of species was not significantly affect by the geotextile protection.

Keywords:
Geotextile collar; Gallery forest; Melinis minutiflora; Ecological restoration

Universidade Federal de Santa Maria Av. Roraima, 1.000, 97105-900 Santa Maria RS Brasil, Tel. : (55 55)3220-8444 r.37, Fax: (55 55)3220-8444 r.22 - Santa Maria - RS - Brazil
E-mail: cienciaflorestal@ufsm.br