Abstract
Despite their extreme importance for environmental balance, riparian forests have been severely disturbed over time. This study aimed to identify grass species and determine their distribution in a disturbed stretch of riparian forest along Pimentas creek, in the municipality of Matutina, which is in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Among four plots established within the study area, we recorded Pennisetum purpureum Schumach., Urochloa mutica (Forssk.) T.Q. Nguyen, Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R.D. Webster, Paspalum notatum Flüggé and Andropogon bicornis L. The most common species was Pennisetum purpureum, which occurred in all of the plots, more frequently in those that had been disturbed. The proportions of exotic and native grasses, as well as their distribution, differed significantly among the plots. The distribution of the grass species varied according to the level of degradation of the creek bank, occurring more frequently where the bank had been disturbed. Therefore, we assume that grasses can be used as indicators of degradation in riparian zones. We also found that grasses are less efficient in preventing erosion than is the typical riparian vegetation.
Highlights
The term “forest degradation” can be understood as changes in a forest that affect its composition and function, reducing its ability to provide goods and services (FAO 2001)
The most common species was Pennisetum purpureum, which occurred in more than half of the 60 quadrants sampled in the degraded plots, followed by U. mutica and Paspalum notatum, each of which occurred in approximately 30% of the quadrants, whereas U. decumbens occurred in 23%, and A. bicornis was the least common species, occurring in only 5% (Fig. 3)
In the “adjacent” plot, there was a higher number of quadrants containing all of the grass species except A. bicornis (Tab. 1)
Summary
The term “forest degradation” can be understood as changes in a forest that affect its composition and function, reducing its ability to provide goods and services (FAO 2001). A riparian zone comprises the population of plants surrounding a watercourse, regardless of the principal region of occurrence or floristic composition of that population (Ab’Sáber 2004). Bodies of water that are surrounded by preserved riparian forest are less affected by such contaminants and help maintain the stability of ecosystems (Noffs et al 2000; Primo & Vaz 2006). For these and other reasons, it is necessary to preserve the remaining riparian forests and to restore riparian zones that have been degraded
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