Liana community ecology and interaction with Parapiptadenia rigida (Bentham) Brenan in a fragment of secondary forest

Abstract

The development of effective silvicultural prescriptions for Atlantic forest secondary patches could offset the amount of exploitative logging in Amazonian forests. This study described the diameter growth response of Parapiptadenia rigida (Fabaceae), a dense wooded, fast-growing canopy tree, to liana competition in attempt to determine silvicultural prescriptions for this species in natural forests. Field procedures were carried out in one fragment of natural forest, in which one hundred 0.01ha plots and 50 individual trees of the target species were selected. We found 23 species in the liana community, which was strongly dominated by Senegalia tucumanensis (Fabaceae). P. rigida had more lianas infesting it compared to the overall forest and its presence increased the abundance of S. tucumanensis. Trees with more than 50% of the crown occupied by lianas had a lower height:diameter ratio. Liana below-ground competition, measured by liana basal area around target trees, reduced diameter increment in P. rigida. The studied species showed great potential for timber production due to fast growth, wood quality and carbon sequestration. The developed individual tree diameter growth model shows that silvicultural treatments could increase diameter growth to about 1.5cm/year.