ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper was to characterize the natural regeneration through the analysis of the phytossociological structure, in a Mixed Rainy Forest at São Francisco de Paula National Forest (between 29°23’ and 29°27’ S and 50°23’ and 50°25’ W), as a way of providing information regarding the recovery and conservation of these ecossistems, and describing the possibilities of future use of the natural regeneration. There have been sampled 180 subunits of 100 m² (10 x 10 m) where there were measured the total heigth (h) of the individuals with h ≥ 1,30m, with minimum circumference of 3,0 cm, up to a maximum of 30,0 cm. The total density was 7.984 individuals/ha, belonging to 109 species, 88 genera and 46 botanical families, besides dead individuals, lianas and no-identified species, with index of diversity of Shannon- Weaver (H’) of 2.22. The most important specie were Casearia decandra, Stillingia oppositifolia and Sebastiania brasiliensis. The Araucaria angustifolia in spite of being the outstanding physiognomic and the larger economical interest species of the Rain Forest, presented low values in all the evaluated parameters, needing forestation treatment and enrichment plantation that would specially benefit the development of its regeneration.
Key words:
natural regeneration; structure; Araucaria angustifolia; Mixed Rainoit Forest