Trees description in the main square of São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil

Camila Junqueira Fernandes,Suzana Targanski Sajovic Pereira,Marcos Vieira Ferraz,Renata Gimenes,Kathia Fernandes Lopes Pivetta

doi:10.14295/oh.v24i4.1151

Camila Junqueira Fernandes, Suzana Targanski Sajovic Pereira + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.14295/oh.v24i4.1151

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Abstract

The knowledge of the flora existing in the cities is of great importance from the ecological and sustainable point of view, as well as being a premise for actions that provide greater safety, comfort and well-being for the population. The objective of this work was to perform an analysis of the composition, diversity and quality of the tree flora (trees and palms) existing in Rui Barbosa Square, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State. This square is considered the main place for its location, history and use, and is located in the central region, next to the Cathedral. The arboreal individuals present in the square were counted, identified and evaluated the height and circumference of the trunk at the height of the chest; were determined phytosociological descriptors, Shannon-Weaver index and observed qualitative aspects (stem-glass balance, general status of the specimen, phytosanity and presence of association with other organisms: insects, lichens, epiphytes or parasites). The floristic composition of Rui Barbosa Square, consisted of 15 botanical families, composed of 25 genera and 28 species, in a total of 103 individuals, among trees and palm trees. The most representative species was Dypsis lutescens, with a frequency of 20.39%. The Shannon-Weaver index, an indicator of diversity, was 2.77, showing that the square presents great floristic diversity. The majority (72.8%) of individuals is in a regular or poor state; 66.02% had some fungus symptoms; 12.62% present problems due to termite attack; mosses, lichens and epiphytes are present in73.78% of the individuals in the square.

Highlights

Green areas in cities are important because they have great benefits in the quality of life, by creating recreation environments, by improving air quality, reducing noise pollution and regulating the microclimate, mitigating the occurrence of heat islands (BOLUND and HUNHAMMAR, 1999; SHAMS, 2009; GONÇALVES, 2017).The knowledge of the urban flora is part of a program of studies that every city should be concerned with developing, aiming at a plan of afforestation that values the landscape and ecological aspects with the use, mainly, of native species
The study was carried out in Rui Barbosa Square, which has an area of 5,303 m2, located in the center of the city of São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil, having as reference, 20°48’67” south latitude and 49°22’80” west longitude
There are few species with a high number of individuals and many with few, with 38.84% of the total number of specimens being concentrated in only these two species, presenting a very fragile ecological picture. This fragility is accentuated by the origin of the two most occurring species, Dypsis lutescens is exotic, originating in Madagascar (LORENZI et al, 1996) and Caesalpinia pluviosa, native to Brazil and well adapted in different situations, occurs in the Mata Atlantic region of Rio de Janeiro, in southern Bahia and large populations in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso State (LORENZI, 2008), being not native to the region of São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State

Summary

Introduction

The knowledge of the urban flora is part of a program of studies that every city should be concerned with developing, aiming at a plan of afforestation that values the landscape and ecological aspects with the use, mainly, of native species. Besides the benefits that directly influence the life of the man, from the ecological point of view, the urban afforestation is fundamental; through it, one can safeguard the biological identity of the region by preserving. The phytosociological survey is used in natural communities, the use of phytosociological descriptors in the urban environment can help the understanding and management of these areas and to draw up bigger guidelines aiming at sustainable plans, such as the increase of biodiversity and the creation of green corridors.

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