Abstract
Edge areas of forest fragments are the most exposed to external disturbances. This study aimed to evaluate the palm tree Attalea maripa (Aubl.) Mart. role in conserving the community of ferns from disturbed areas of the Ecological Reserve of the Bacurizal Forest, Salvaterra-PA. A total of 15 excursions were held between July and November 2017 to collect ferns in all living forophytes of A. maripa in disturbed areas. The phorophytes were divided into three ecological zones (base, trunk and sheath) where the ferns were located. The total variables of forophyte height, diameter at breast height; shaft height and sheath insertion height. We found 91 phorophytes of A. maripa with ferns, among which 266 specimens distributed in four species belonging to four families. Phlebodium decumanum (Willd.) J.Sm. (Polypodiaceae) was the most representative fern species with 110 specimens, followed by Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Schott (Lomariopsidaceae) (91), Vittaria lineata (L.) Sm (Pteridaceae) (59), and Lygodium venustum Sw. (Lygodiaceae) (six). The highest representativeness of fern specimens in the ecological zone of the sheath (77%) it is probably related to the environmental conditions found in this area, which presents low temperatures and higher humidity that favor the establishment and development of ferns. There was no significant correlation between the number of fern specimens with the total height of the phorophyte, diameter at breast height, shaft height and sheath insertion height. A. maripa proved to be an important component for the fern establishment in disturbed environments, especially in the ecological area of the sheath by microclimatic conditions favorable to the colonization of ferns.
Highlights
Habitat loss and changes in the structure of plant communities are growing disturbances in the Amazon and their main causes are associated with deforestation from agriculture [1], livestock [2], road construction [3] and mining [4]
This study aimed to evaluate the role of the palm A. maripa in the fixation of fern communities in anthropized areas of the Ecological Reserve of Mata do Bacurizal, Salvaterra, Marajó Island, Pará
Similar results were recorded in the Caatinga in the Vale do Catimbau National Park, in Pernambuco [29], on this occasion; the authors analyzed the fern community of 100 forophytes of the species Syagrus coronata (Mart.) Beec, and identified only six species of epiphytic ferns
Summary
Habitat loss and changes in the structure of plant communities are growing disturbances in the Amazon and their main causes are associated with deforestation from agriculture [1], livestock [2], road construction [3] and mining [4]. The edge areas of the forest fragments are portions most exposed to external disturbances characterized by the strong influence of the high incidence of light, wind, higher temperature and lower relative humidity of the air [8]. In this sense, the edge of the forest may have a different species composition compared to the interior of the fragment, since only a few species are able to tolerate the environmental conditions of edge [9], such as the palm tree Attalea maripa (Aubl.) Mart. This characteristic allows greater protection against fires and rapid regeneration and spread of the palm by all types of floristic cover [13], as well as the edge areas of the forest fragments
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