Variação da densidade, área basal e biomassa de lianas em 64 km2 de floresta de terra-firme na Amazônia Central

Abstract

Broad scale research that considers environmental and geographical variation of lianas community are lacking. In a 64 km2 of Terra-Firme forest Reserve in Central Amazon, 40 plots of 1 ha were distributed. The density and basal area was evaluated. Biomass estimations were done with three alometric equations. The absolute biomass value estimated varied largely according to the alometric equation used. Errors in the equations probably occur due to little sampling of large lianas of these works. The environmental variables were related to liana community. Palms density, sand soil content and trees structure index are negatively correlated with density, basal area and biomass of lianas. Understory components were spatially structured, making more complex the correlations between variables. Different relationships between environmental variables and lianas were found according to the life stage. Sand soil content may be reducing the germination and seedlings establishment. Abundance of palms may be reducing the number of thin tree that are the main supports for lianas at early stages of life cycle. The tree structure may be determining the availability of supports at different forests stracta, which mainly influences ascending individuals.