Spatialization of Tree Species Diversity in the State of Minas Gerais

Emanuel José Gomes De Araújo,José Roberto Soares Scolforo,Hassan Camil David,José Marcio De Mello,Angelo Augusto Ebling,Vinicius Augusto Morais

doi:10.1590/2179-8087.020615

Abstract

ABSTRACT The state of Minas Gerais has a high ecological relevance mainly due to its forest species diversity. Understanding the spatialization of that diversity is of importance to develop environmental public policies. The hypothesis of this study is that the tree species diversity from different forest types, in the state of Minas Gerais, presents distribution with spatial dependence. Thus, the objective of this work was to prove that spatial dependence and to relate it between the forest types. Data from the project called “Forest Inventory of Minas Gerais” were used to calculate indices of Shannon, Simpson and Pielou. We used geostatistical and kriging tools to create spatial maps. As results, the mappings indicated that the state presents well-defined gradients of diversity and richness of forest species, increasing in North-South and from West-East directions. The spatial dependence and the spatialization of the tree species diversity show that the geostatistical modeling is a tool that supports the forest resource management. The maps of diversity can be used as indicators of potential areas for creating Conservation Units, establishing ecological corridors, besides supporting environmental policy development.

Highlights

In the first years of 21st century the state of Minas Gerais has lost an expressive area of its native forest, reaching a deforestation of 370,974 hectares
The hypothesis of this study is that the tree species diversity from different forest types, in the state of Minas Gerais, presents distribution with spatial dependence
The findings show the high richness and diversity in the state, subsidizing the establishment of public policies that ensure the maintenance and increasing of forest species diversity

Summary

Introduction

In the first years of 21st century the state of Minas Gerais has lost an expressive area of its native forest, reaching a deforestation of 370,974 hectares. The estimated remaining forest cover is around 19.5 million hectares (Carvalho et al, 2008), encompassing three main forest formations: Cerrado, located in the mid-West; Atlantic Forest, located in the East, and Caatinga, situated in the North of the state Such formations represent an area respectively around 57%, 41% and 3.5% of the state (Oliveira-Filho & Scolforo, 2008). Describing and characterizing its forested areas and their distinct potentials are essential issues that should be comprehended before proposing some decision-making concerning to forest species conservation In this sense, we could consider as relevant any research that subsidize the state government with information about its forest fragments, such as priority areas to allocate conservation unities, besides contributions for implementing public policies, among others. Research like these are even more important when it is considered that the forest degradation affects intra- and interspecific relationships in the regional ecosystems (Bierregaard & Dale, 1996)

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