Reference areas and edaphoclimatic variables: support for the choice of tree species in the restoration of riparian forests in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Identifying factors involved in the choice of species for forest restoration is a great challenge, given the wide range of biotic and abiotic factors that may influence ecosystem trajectories. This review aims to highlight the information from reference areas and edaphoclimatic factors as aids in the choice of forest species to be used in the restoration of riparian forests, especially for the southern of Brazil. Native forest species of natural occurrence in riparian areas offer the potential for recovering these environments, depending on the ecological group and stage of ecological succession where they are naturally present. However, floristic and phytosociological surveys in well-preserved remnant riparian forests with no anthropogenic interference and in areas at different stages of natural succession are needed. This will enable the identification of the most representative species which are adapted to the conditions of local sites. Additionally, information must be correlated with chemical, physical and biological aspects of the soil as well as ecological processes and climatic characteristics, enabling the proper choice of species. Thus, the components of soil-plant-atmosphere system must be incorporated into the degraded environments in order to achieve an integrated recovery of ecological processes.