Estudo da variabilidade de croton blanchetianus baill. em uma área de caatinga no semiárido paraibano, Brasil.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the structural changes in Croton blanchetianus Baill. as subsidies to define the ecological aspects that characterize its population Caatinga area in the Western Cariri of Paraiba. The work was executed in the Reserved Experimental Space for Studies of Ecology and Dynamics of the Caatinga – Area I of the Laboratory of Ecology and Botany - LAEB/CDSA/UFCG (7°39'38.8 '' S and 36°53'42.4 '' W; 538 m of altitude). In this area were implemented for the monitoring of structural variations of the species, 96 contiguous plots of 10 X 10. In the phytosociological survey of the adult component held in January 2013 were registered 1,078 individuals from Croton blanchetianus Baill., defining as the first in number individuals, absolute density and relative density among the 12 species raised and the category of the dead. Present in all 96 plots worked and when he related the Basal Area, Dominance Absolute and Relative, Importance Value and Coverage Value was the second in the sampled community. In January 2015 the monitoring, it was observed that the C. blanchetianus mortality levels were high, thus the species in January 2013 passed 1078 individuals to 299 individuals in January 2015. In percentage terms, it has been that 72.26% of the population died. For individual entering it was found that in January 2015 were surveyed 336 individuals entering the adult community, which are distributed in seven species. Of these only four individuals of C. blanchetianus were recorded, showing a low increase rate in the adult stratum. Therefore, the results generated are of significant importance to show understanding of the dynamics of this species C. blanchetianus in areas of Caatinga, thus strengthening conservation strategies, management and ecological restoration of degraded systems in addition to enabling actions towards sustainable development of the region.