Aspectos da regeneração natural e produção de sementes de Carapa guianensis Aubl. (andiroba), na Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Amanã, AM

Abstract

To know the ecological factors that affect the production and post-dispersion survival seeds stages and seedlings establishment is crucial for understanding the plants populations dynamics. Andiroba (Carapa guianensis) is one of the species in the Amazon Forest of great economic importance, mainly for its wood and the oil extracted from its seeds. Ecological studies that guide its use and adequate handling are necessary for sustainable exploration of the species. In the Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve (AM), aspects of seeds survival, seedlings and saplings abundance and seed crop of Carapa guianensis have been analyzed in the area of Boa Esperança Community, where a vegetal oil extration micro-plant was installed. The removal of seeds by vertebrates was high, more than 80%, and the seeds survival and germinating seeds was not affected nor by its distance of the mother tree nor by the forest environment heterogenity. Seedlings presented a mean density of 2,57 and saplings of 1,2 individuals.plot-¹. In areas where the abundance of trees above 10 cm of DBH was bigger, the occurrence of seedlings surviving was significantly bigger. The production of fruits and seeds varied between individuals and significantly comparing the two studied years and, with one year of little production (2004), followed by another year with greater one (2005). The seeds and seedlings predation by vertebrates seems to be an important factor in the natural regeneration dynamics of C. guianensis, however the forest heterogeneity not.