Regeneration of woody species under the influence of the bamboo Actinocladum verticillatum (Nees) McClure ex Soderstr. (Poaceae) in a savanna forest and a typical cerrado in the Cerrado-Amazon transition

Abstract

In this study, we analyzed and compared the floristic composition, species richness and diversity, and structure of the natural regeneration of two phytophysiognomies (savanna forest and typical cerrado) under the effect of natural clumps of the bamboo Actinocladum verticillatum (Nees) McClure ex Soderstr. at the Bacaba City Park, Nova Xavantina municipality (Mato Grosso state, Brazil). In each phytophysiognomy, we established 15 contiguous plots in a bamboo-free control site (NB) and 15 in a site densely occupied by bamboos (WB). The natural regeneration and the woody vegetation (WV, diameter ≥ 3 cm at 30 cm above ground) were sampled in plots of 1 x 1 m, 2 x 2 m, 5 x 5 m (natural regeneration) and 10 x 10 m (WV). In the natural regeneration, we found 55 species in the savanna forest (NB = 49, WB = 34) and 76 in the typical cerrado (NB = 68, WB = 51). Overall, the NB sites from both phytophysiognomies had the highest values of species diversity, evenness and abundance of individuals, which indicates a possible interference of the clumps with the structure of the natural regeneration. The occurrence of Brosimum gaudichaudii Trécul and Myrcia splendens (Sw.) DC at most stages of regeneration highlights their potential for the recovery of lands occupied by these clumps.