Estrutura da vegetação, deposição e decomposição da serapilheira em um remanescente de caatinga, na região de Pombal – Paraíba.

Abstract

The Caatinga is one of the most threatened biomes by the irrational exploitation of natural resources. Based on this principle, is that the study aims to carry out a survey of vegetation structure in a remnant of Caatinga and evaluate its rate of deposition and decomposition of litter. The study was conducted at Site Bom Jesus, located in the municipality of Pombal - PB. The remaining forest has an area of 40 hectares (ha). The sampling system was adopted in a systematic way, where were implanted 20 sampling units of dimensions of 10m x 25m. To collect litter, were implanted 20 boxes with dimensions of 1.0 m2. To assess the rate of decomposition of biomass, we used the method of decomposition bags. 16 grants were distributed on the soil surface, divided by four species (Croton blanchetianus, Aspidosperma pyrifolium, Poincianella pyramidalis and Combretum leprosum) in each individual bag. The area studied had a great diversity, both in number of families, and in the number of species identified. The decomposition of the leaves was relatively slow during the experimental period, and evaluation time insufficient to decompose the material completely.