Laetia procera (Poepp.) Eichler can be included in polycyclic management programs for timber production, replacing species intensively harvested in the Amazon forest

Abstract

Many tree species in tropical natural forests are unknown or little studied, especially regarding their ecological, silvicultural, and wood use characteristics. Studies on the dynamics of these species are necessary to assist in planning their uses, with minimal impact on the ecosystem, aiming for economic, ecological, and social benefits. The present study aimed to evaluate the population dynamics and potential for sustainable timber production of the species Laetia procera (Poepp.) Eichler over a period of 31 years in a dense managed terra firme forest in the Eastern Amazon. Abundance, dominance, frequency, importance value index, diameter distribution of trees, recruitment, mortality, and annual periodic increment in diameter were evaluated. The structure of the L. procera population benefited from the increased solar radiation in the forest, due to logging and thinning, favoring its growth and establishment in the area until the end of monitoring. Its dynamics over the 31 years of evaluation, based on the evaluated parameters, can guarantee its conservation in managed forests and suggest its inclusion in management programs, aimed at sustainable timber production.