Growth of native species in a recovery plantation of Cerrado sensu stricto in the Brazilian Federal District

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate survival and growth of native species, along a five-year period, in a recovering area of Cerrado sensu strictu in the National Institute of Meteorology, Federal District, Brazil. Nineteen woody native species of multiple uses, which originally occur in savanna and forest environments of the Cerrado biome, were planted. Eighteen of these species were planted as seedlings, while Solanum lycocarpum A. St.-Hil. was planted through direct sowing. Planting was carried out over an area of 6,750 m2 with a 3 x 3 m spacing. In general, our results suggest that the species of the savanna group showed relatively higher mean growth in diameter during the first year, while the forest species group developed more in height. However, these results changed when they were calculated without the values of S. lycocarpum, as this species alone was responsible for the higher values of diameter growth in the savanna group. After five years, the mean values of increment in height were similar between savanna and forest species, conversely to what was expected, i.e. highest values in the forest species. Species S. lycocarpum, Dipteryx alata Vogel, Inga cylindrica (Vell.) Mart., Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan, Anadenanthera peregrina (L.) Speg. and Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. allied good survival with growth in both height and diameter, in the first five years after planting. Mixed planting of savanna and forest species seems to be promising for facilitating recovery of the disturbed area of Cerrado sensu strictu in the planted area, five years after planting.