THE EFFECT OF SEASONAL FLOOD ON NATURAL REGENERATION IN A DENSE ALLUVIAL RAINFOREST IN THE AMAZON ESTUARY

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of seasonal flooding in floristic composition, structure and forms life of the natural regeneration in a dense alluvial rainforest in the eastern Amazon. In the Environmental Protection Area (APA) Combu Island, four plots of 20 x 20 m were demarcated, where the species and their individuals were identified, quantified, grouped into size categories (CT) and classified according to life form. The relative density and frequency, the category of relative size, the relative natural regeneration and the diversity were calculated. The data of flood were collected daily in five sticks of 1.5 m in each plot. There was no significant difference in the number of species, individuals, diversity and evenness between the periods analyzed, which were similar in both periods. The dominant life form in species was tree; and in individuals, herbaceous. The CT2 had the highest number of individuals and the CT1 the lowest amount. The tide levels did not affect the floristic composition, showing that species are able to survive the water stress, especially: Pariana campestris, Anthurium sinuatum, Costus spicatus e Costus arabicus.