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This study examined the rehabilitation potential of AM fungi with organic and inorganic fertilisers under pot and field trial conditions as well as their interaction with rhizospheric organisms and specific functional groups. In addition, the study highlighted the effects of land-use management on AM fungal populations in soil and the mycorrhizal status of some selected plants from one of the study sites. The study focussed on two sites that differ in operational activities and these included a mined area that was to be rehabilitated and a commercial farming site. A pot trial was conducted using an overburdened soil resulting from kaolin clay mining. Pots were seeded with Cynodon dactylon and treated with either Organic Tea or NPK (3:1:5) fertiliser, with or without AM fungal inoculum. The compatibility of these fertilisers with AM fungi was assessed by plant growth and percentage root colonisation. Maximum shoot height and plant biomass were observed at the 28th week with NPK (3:1:5) fertiliser supporting mycorrhizal colonisation by 80%. The result indicated the potential of AM fungi to be used in rehabilitation with minimal phosphate fertiliser. Similarly, a field trial was set-up using 17 x 17 m[superscript 2] plots in the mining site that were treated with the same organic and inorganic fertilisers as well as with AM fungal inoculum in different combinations. The interaction between AM fungi and soil microbial population was determined using culture dependent and culture independent techniques. The culture dependent technique involved the use of soil dilution and plating on general purpose and selective media. The result showed that there was no change in the total culturable bacterial number in the untreated and AM fungal treated plots, while a change in species composition was observed in the functional groups. Different functional groups identified included nitrogen fixing bacteria, pseudomonads, actinomycetes, phosphate solubilisers and the fungal counterparts. Gram-positive bacteria were observed as the predominant phenotypic type, while nitrogen fixers and actinomycetes were the predominant functional groups. Species identified from each functional group were Pseudomonas fulva, Bacillus megaterium, Streptomyces and actinomycetales bacteria. Meanwhile, fungi such as Ampelomyces, Fusarium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cephalosporium and Exserohilium were identified morphologically and molecularly. Furthermore, the mining site had a significantly higher bacterial number than the farming site thereby indicating the effects of land-use management on culturable bacterial numbers. The culture independent technique was carried out by cloning of the bacterial 16S rDNA and sequencing. Identified clones were Bradyrhizobium, Propionibacterium and Sporichthya. A cladogram constructed with the nucleotides sequences of identified functional species, clones and closely related nucleotide sequences from the Genbank indicated that nucleotide sequences differed in terms of the method used. The activity and establishment of the introduced AM fungal population was determined by spore enumeration, infectivity assay, percentage root colonisation and assessment of glomalin concentrations. The results indicated that the two land use types affected AM fungal populations. However, the establishment of AM fungi in the farming site was more successful than in the mining site as indicated by the higher infectivity pontential. Selected host plants, which were collected around the mine area, were observed to be mainly colonised by AM fungi and these were identified as Pentzia incana, Elytropappus rhinocerotis, Euphorbia meloformis, Selago corymbosa, Albuca canadensis and Helichrysum rosum. These plant species were able to thrive under harsh environmental conditions, thereby indicating their potential use as rehabilitation host plants. Generally, the findings of this study has provided an insight into the interaction between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and other soil microorganisms in two fields with differing land use management practices.

xiv, 166 p. : ill. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Restoration of imperiled ecosystems has emerged as a national priority, but there is little mechanistic understanding of how to restore ecosystems so as to sustain both species diversity and ecosystem function. The main objectives of my dissertation were (i) to develop an understanding of mechanisms that structure upland and wetland prairie plant communities in Oregon's Willamette Valley, with particular focus on edaphic and competitive controls over native and exotic species, and (ii) to apply this knowledge toward more effective restoration of prairie ecosystems. I used a combination of experiments and analysis of natural gradients to examine the effects of succession, competition, and environmental heterogeneity on plant community structure and ecosystem function within a restoration framework. I conducted a large, replicated field experiment and a retroactive study of previously restored wetland prairies to assess different site preparation techniques. These techniques had variable effectiveness in suppressing the existing vegetation and seed bank, thus providing different initial successional trajectories. However, over time plant community structure converged due to a loss of early-successional species and the increasing dominance of native bunchgrasses; hence, there was a negative relationship between cover of native species and diversity. Only the more extreme treatments, such as topsoil removal, had large impacts on soil functioning. These studies underscore the importance of using a successional framework to guide restoration efforts. Given the potential importance of competition between native and exotic grasses in structuring prairie vegetation, I used a paired study of field and greenhouse experiments to determine how abiotic factors influence the competitive hierarchies between native and exotic grasses commonly found in upland and wetland prairies. Exotic grasses dominated competitive interactions with the native grasses, but this depended upon nutrient and moisture availability. Finally, I used a laboratory experiment to determine the seasonal and edaphic controls over nutrient and carbon cycling within a spatially heterogeneous upland prairie. Manipulating moisture and temperature resulted in significant changes in nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon cycling, particularly in the winter. Under projected future climate change, these changes will likely have large effects on plant community structure. This dissertation includes my previously published and co-authored materials. / Advisers: Scott D. Bridgham, Barbara "Bitty" A. Roy, Bart R. Johnson

This thesis deals with communities of arthropods (and partly also vascular plants) colonising diverse anthropogenic sites. It reveals a conservation potential of these sites and focus on ecological requirements of both whole communities and individual species generalising these findings for usage in restoration of these sites.

L’activité érosive des badlands marneux des Alpes du Sud présente des conséquences négatives pour l’homme qui a ainsi cherché à restaurer ces terrains dès le XIXème siècle. Depuis une dizaine d’années, une stratégie d’ingénierie écologique y est développée et se concentre sur les lits de ravines, pierres angulaires de leur restauration. La question appliquée à la base de ce travail de thèse est d’identifier comment l’implantation d’ouvrages de génie écologique dans lelit de ravines marneuses érodées favorise leur restauration écologique sur le long terme.L’objectif de recherche associé à cette question est de mieux comprendre comment des communautés végétales interagissent avec la restauration des sols de lits de ravines érodées sur le long terme. Nous avons fait l’hypothèse que les traits végétaux des plantes à l’échelle de communautés constituent un point d’entrée pertinent pour étudier ces interactions. Dans la première partie, nous avons utilisé les traits comme un outil de compréhension de l’effet mécanique des plantes sur les dynamiques géomorphologiques des lits de ravines en cours de restauration. Nous avons notamment montré que les traits permettent d’expliquer la capacité de communautés végétales implantées à favoriser la formation d’amas sédimentaires dans le lit des ravines durant la première décennie post-travaux. Dans la deuxième partie, nous nous sommes intéressés à l’évolution potentielle sur le long terme (centaine d’années) des propriétés de ces amas, constituant des sols en devenir. Nous avons montré que la diversité ainsi que les valeurs dominantes des traits végétaux influencent les propriétés de ces sols, notamment la stabilité des agrégats et la fertilité des sols. En plus d’être un outil de compréhension, nous montrons que cette utilisation des traits constitue un outil pour guider les actions de restauration de badlands via l’implantation d’ouvrages de génie écologique, en apportant des éléments sur le devenir géomorphologique et écologique post-travaux des systèmes sol-plante de lits de ravines. / In the French Southern Alps, severe erosion in marly badlands shows negative consequencesfor human populations, who worked to restore these terrains since the XIXth century. For adecade, an ecological engineering strategy is developed and focuses on gully beds, cornerstonesof their restoration. The operational question at the root of this PhD project is to identify towhat extent ecological engineering structures implanted in marly gully beds can foster theirlong-term ecological restoration. The scientific objective related to this question is to betterunderstand how plant communities interact in the long-term with the restoration of soils ingully beds. We hypothesized that plant traits at the community scale is a relevant entry point tostudy these interactions. In the first part, we used traits as a tool to study the mechanical effectof plants on geomorphological dynamics in gully beds under restoration. In particular, weshowed that traits enable us to explain the capacity of plant communities to favor theaccumulation of sediment mounds in gully beds during the first decade after ecologicalengineering works. In the second part, we concentrated on the potential long-term (century)evolution of the properties of these sediment mounds, in the process of becoming real soils. Weshowed that both trait diversity and dominant values of traits interacted with the properties ofthese soils, such as soil aggregate stability and soil fertility. With a strong multidisciplinaryapproach, this work provides results and insights on the interactions between plant traits andecosystem functioning in the specific case of highly eroded semi-natural ecosystems. It alsocontribute to set tools to restore badlands via ecological engineering works, by providinginformation about the long-term geomorphological and ecological evolution of soil-plantsystems in restored gully beds.

Submitted by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2017-02-24T15:58:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 FERNANDES_Gerson_2016.pdf: 13725241 bytes, checksum: 4bf54868355621d2ad09ae85d6c244f4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2017-02-24T15:58:17Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 FERNANDES_Gerson_2016.pdf: 13725241 bytes, checksum: 4bf54868355621d2ad09ae85d6c244f4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2017-02-24T15:58:24Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 FERNANDES_Gerson_2016.pdf: 13725241 bytes, checksum: 4bf54868355621d2ad09ae85d6c244f4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-24T15:58:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FERNANDES_Gerson_2016.pdf: 13725241 bytes, checksum: 4bf54868355621d2ad09ae85d6c244f4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-09-21 / Não recebi financiamento / The study aimed to evaluate restored areas implemented in the basin of the Sorocaba River and Middle Tiete based on terms of commitments to environmental restoration and conduct adjustment terms. We selected two to three projects in each sub-basin to those with the presence of restoration, certified by the consent of the owner. In each restoration, we evaluated attributes of species diversity and functions, control and management, soil protection and nutrient cycling. The restored areas restoration presented 17 ± 10 species, under the condition established by law, mortality was high, around 40% with an average of 1090 individuals/ha. Croton floribundus, Schinus terebinthifolius, Guazuma ulmifolia, Inga vera, Citharexylum myrianthum, Cordia sellowiana represented 31.7% of species planted and together with Enterolobium contortisiliquum, colubrina Anadenanthera, C. urucurana, Ceiba speciosa, Eugenia uniflora, Lithraea molleoides, Psidium guajava, Triplaris americana, Erythrina speciosa represented 52.8% of the planted individuals. The restoration were in critical situation and, although species richness is according to legal requirements, we observed the concentration on few common and frequent species in general pioneers. Regardless of age, the studied areas did not restore the structural and physical aspects of the forest, and were not efficient in the establishment of ecological processes, highlighting the need to review the procedures adopted in the legal and technical mechanisms of restoration in the region. / O estudo teve por objetivo avaliar projetos de restauração de áreas degradadas implantados na bacia dos Rios Sorocaba e Médio Tietê realizados a partir de termos de compromissos de restauração ambiental e termo de ajustamento de conduta. Foram selecionados dois a três projetos em cada sub-bacia entre os que apresentavam presença da restauração, atestada pela anuência do proprietário. Em cada restauração foram avaliados os atributos da diversidade de espécies e de funções, controle e manejo, proteção do solo e ciclagem de nutrientes. As áreas em restauração apresentaram 17±10 espécies, abaixo da condição estabelecida pela legislação, com alta mortalidade, em torno de 40% e média de 1090 indivíduos/ha. Das espécies, Croton floribundus, Schinus terebinthifolius, Guazuma ulmifolia, Inga vera, Citharexylum myrianthum, Cordia sellowiana, representaram 31,7% dos indivíduos e, juntamente com Enterolobium contortisiliquum, Anadenanthera colubrina, Croton urucurana, Ceiba speciosa, Eugenia uniflora, Lithraea molleoides, Psidium guajava, Triplaris americana, Erythrina speciosa somaram 52,8% dos indivíduos plantados. Os projetos de restauração foram considerados em situação crítica e, embora apresentem riqueza dentro do recomendado, concentraram-se em poucas de espécies mais comuns e frequentes, em geral pioneiras. Independentemente da idade, as áreas estudadas não restauraram os aspectos estruturais e físicos da floresta, e não foram eficientes no estabelecimento dos processos ecológicos, evidenciando a necessidade de se rever os procedimentos adotados nos mecanismos legais e técnicos da restauração na região.

A restauração da Mata Atlântica tem sido considerada prioridade nas iniciativas de manutenção da biodiversidade. Adicionalmente, há consenso de que os parâmetros para avaliação da restauração ecológica devem mensurar o retorno de funções ecológicas. O estudo de interações planta-visitante floral pode ser um caminho adequado para avaliar a eficiência das práticas de restauração, visto que estas interações desempenham função crítica na dinâmica e diversidade da comunidade. Variações na diversidade de espécies de plantas e de seus visitantes florais podem alterar a freqüência de interação entre as espécies, definir a estrutura das redes de interação, determinando os níveis de generalização e especialização na comunidade. Neste contexto, a tentativa de restaurar florestas tropicais pela adição de espécies arbóreas pode ter efeitos sobre a estrutura, estabelecimento de grupos funcionais e níveis de generalização na rede de interação entre flores e visitantes florais. O objetivo principal deste trabalho é o de comparar redes de interação planta-visitante floral em florestas tropicais restauradas após 5 anos do plantio das arbóreas, florestas regeneradas naturalmente e remanescentes de floresta atlântica em uma área sob domínio da Mata Atlântica no sudeste do Brasil. Para atingir esse objetivo, essas florestas foram comparadas quanto suas diversidades estruturais e funcionais em relação aos seguintes aspectos: 1) Riqueza e atributos de história de vida (formas de vida, sistemas sexuais, modos de polinização e de dispersão); 2) redes de interação plantavisitante floral; 3) Grau de generalização e especialização das redes de interação; 4) robustez quanto à perda de espécie em redes de interação, e 5) Formação de grupos funcionais seguindo características florais e de freqüência de visitas. Para cada aspecto avaliamos a contribuição das espécies plantadas. Florestas restauradas tiveram a maior riqueza de espécies em flor, porém com menor similaridade florística com outras florestas locais. A similaridade em abundâncias relativas de arbustos e lianas com outras categorias de florestas indicou a inclusão de outras formas de vida além de árvores nas florestas restauradas. Porém, a alta abundância relativa de árvores nas florestas regeneradas naturalmente também indicou o potencial de regeneração natural em florestas 15 degradadas. A maior diversidade de modos de polinização biótica e de dispersão de sementes nas florestas restauradas veio das plantas regenerantes espontaneamente. Não houve diferenças significativas quanto às métricas de redes de interação flores e visitantes entre os tratamentos, porém houve uma tendência de maior especialização dessas interações nas florestas nativas e maior robustez à perda de espécies em florestas restauradas. Além disso, plantas regenerantes espontaneamente receberam significantemente mais visitas nas florestas regeneradas naturalmente do que em florestas restauradas, sugerindo que árvores plantadas podem estar reduzindo visitação às flores da vegetação regenerante espontânea, possivelmente competindo por visitantes florais. Em relação à diversidade funcional, 21 grupos funcionais baseados em atributos florais foram estabelecidos entre todas as espécies em flor, onde as espécies da floresta restaurada dominaram três grandes grupos e a floresta nativa apresentou representantes distribuídos equitativamente pelos grupos, sem dominância. Pólen foi a variável que mais contribui para diferenciação dos grupos. As espécies plantadas formaram grupos funcionais exclusivos nas florestas restauradas, contribuindo para uma maior diversificação em atributos funcionais florais em tais comunidades, porém não mais do que a diversificação funcional trazida pelas plantas regenerantes espontaneamente. Redes de interação entre grupos funcionais de plantas e categorias taxonômicas de visitantes reforçaram que os visitantes florais parecem não seguir fielmente grupos funcionais por atributos florais. Considerando que as florestas regeneradas naturalmente apresentaram alta abundância relativa de árvores, não apresentaram diferenças significativas quanto às métricas de redes de interação planta-visitantes florais com as florestas restauradas e que a regeneração natural na região estudada ocorre em grande intensidade, sugerimos que seja dada importância relevante às plantas regenerantes espontaneamente em projetos de restauração. Cabe ressaltar que avaliamos restauração após 5 anos da implantação. Assim, todas as conclusões tiradas deste estudo necessitarão ser acompanhada em estudos futuros. / Restoration of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest has been considered priority in initiatives to maintain biodiversity. Additionally, there is consensus that the parameters to evaluate restoration should address the return of ecological processes. The study of flower-visitor interactions can be a reasonable way to evaluate restoration practice, considering that these interactions have critical role in the dynamics and diversity of communities. Variations in the diversity of plant species and their flower visitors could modify frequency of interactions between species; define the structure of interaction networks, and determine generalization and specialization levels in the community as well. In this context, the attempt to restore tropical forests by planting native trees can affect the structural and functional diversity and generalization level in flower-visitor networks. The main objective of this research is to compare flower-visitor networks in 5-year-old restored forests, naturally regenerated forests and native forests in an Atlantic Forest domain in southeastern Brazil. We compared these forests in relation to: 1) Richness of species and life history traits (growth form, sexual system, biotic pollination modes and dispersal modes); 2) Flower-visitor networks; 3) Generalization and specialization levels in ecological networks; 4) Robustness to species loss in ecological networks; and 5) Functional groups by floral traits and visitation frequencies of flower visitors. We evaluated the contribution of planted species on each of these aspects. Restored forests had the highest floristic richness of species in flower, but little floristic similarity with other native local forests. Similarity in the relative abundance of shrubs and lianas among habitat categories indicated the possibility of annexation of other life forms than trees in restored forests. But the presence of high relative abundance of trees in the naturally regenerated forests also indicated the potential of natural regeneration of the degraded forests. Biotic pollination and dispersal modes tended to be more diverse in restored forests, but it comes as a result of the addition of spontaneously regenerated plants to this forest. There were no significant differences in the metrics of flower-visitor networks between forest categories, although there was a trend towards high specialization of 17 interactions between flower and visitors in native forests and high robustness of species loss in restored forests. In addition, spontaneously regenerated plants received significantly more visits in the naturally regenerated forests than in restored forests, suggesting that the planted trees may reduce the visitation to the spontaneously regenerated vegetation, possibly by competing for flower visitors. With regard to functional diversity, 21 functional groups based on floral traits were recognized when all species in flower was pooled. Species of restored forests were dispersed mainly among three groups, while species from native forests were spread among all groups with almost the same number of species per group. Pollen was the variable that most contributed for grouping species. Planted trees species formed exclusive functional groups, contributing for higher diversification of floral trait to the community. However, this diversification was not higher than provided by spontaneous regenerated plants. Interaction networks between plant functional groups and taxonomic categories of flower visitors ensured that flower visitors do not seem to follow the grouping formed by floral traits. Considering that naturally regenerated forests had high relative abundance of trees, were not different from restored forests in relation to network metrics and that natural regeneration was intense in the region, we suggest paying relevant attention to spontaneous regenerated plants in restoration projects. We would like to point out that we evaluated five-year-old restored forests and there is still need to track these forests in the future.

Orientador: Fernando Roberto Martins / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T04:10:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CieloFilho_Roque_D.pdf: 1896496 bytes, checksum: 99587556db385dcd4b393d5584e41f81 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Neste estudo foram investigados aspectos teóricos relacionados à organização comunitária em uma floresta Estacional Semidecídua no sudeste do Brasil (Mata Ribeirão Cachoeira, Campinas, São Paulo) A área amostral como 6,5 há, situa-se em uma vertente com declividade média de 15% e é delimitada em sua porção mais baixa pelo ribeirão Cachoeira, porém, sem sofrer inundações. Trata-se, portanto, de um gradiente ambiental sutil representado pela variável elevação do terreno. Outro gradiente ambiental é condicionado pelo regime natural de pertubação da floresta, através da continua abertura e reconstituição arquitetural de clareiras. Este gradiente foi representado pela variável altura de vegetação. As duas variáveis foram correlacionadas com a variação estrutural da floresta após a exclusão do efeito da proximidade espacial entre parcelas. A correlação foi significativa mostrando que a topografia e o regime de perturbação exercem algum controle sobre a estrutura florestal em escala local. A diversidade variou ao longo da encosta mostrando desvio de dominância ecológica, ou seja, um aumento em dominância acima do que poderia ser esperado pela simples redução do número de espécies. Esses resultados sugerem ausência de equivalência ecológica entre as espécies e dão suporte ao modelo de montagem de comunidades por diferenciação de nicho. Foi possível identificar manchas de floresta com diferentes estruturas e a disposição espacial das manchas também apresentou correlação coma elevação do terreno ...Observação: O resumo, na íntegra, poderá ser visualizado no texto completo da tese digital / Abstract: : In this study, we investigated theoetical aspects related to community organization in a Semideciduous Atlantic Forest in SE Brazil (Ribeirão Cachoeira forest, Campinas municipality, São Paulo state). The 6.5 ha samping area is located on a slope with an average steepness of 15% and is delimited in its lowest portion by Cachoeira stream, which however, is not subject to flooding. We dealt, therefore, with subtle enviromnetal gradient represented by the variable ¿terrain elevation¿ another environmental gradient represented by variable ¿terrain elvevation¿ Another environmental gradient was conditioned by the forest natural diturbance regime through continuous gap opening and archtetural reconstrution. This gradient was represented by variable ¿vegetation exclusion of the effects of spatial autocorrelation . The correlation was significant, showing that topography and disturbance regime exert some control on the forest structure at local scale. Diversity varied along the slope showing a deviation in ecological dominance, that is, a dominance increase above what could be expected from the reduction of species number alone. These findings suggest the absense of ecological equivalence among species and give support to the model of community assembly by niche differentiation. It was possible to identify forest patches with different structures and the spatial disposition of patches also presented a correlation with terrain elevation. However, transition between patches was gradual and, to a great extent, could no be explained by environmental variables, suggesting the influence of historical and stochastic events ...Note: The complete abstract is available with the full electronic digital thesis or dissertations / Doutorado / Doutor em Biologia Vegetal

O histórico processo de destruição da cobertura vegetal das florestas tropicais restringiu parte significativa das formações naturais deste bioma a fragmentos florestais pequenos e isolados. Nesse contexto, espécies ruderais de lianas podem se proliferar e rapidamente cobrir o dossel da floresta, prejudicando os indivíduos arbóreos e estagnando ou até mesmo regredindo os processos de sucessão florestal. O presente trabalho busca analisar as barreiras ecológicas que impedem a sucessão florestal em fragmentos florestais degradados dominados por lianas hiperabundantes, fornecer subsídios para estratégias de intervenção visando à restauração da estrutura e composição destes fragmentos e avaliar os efeitos iniciais do corte de lianas na dinâmica e crescimento da comunidade arbórea florestal. Para isso, foram instaladas 35 parcelas em um fragmento de floresta estacional semidecidual degradado e isolado pertencente ao bioma da Mata Atlântica, sendo cinco parcelas instaladas em setores menos degradados, e 30 em setores degradados dominados por lianas hiperabundantes. Destas 30 parcelas, cortaram-se todas as lianas em 20 parcelas, e avaliou-se a chegada de sementes, emergência e estabelecimento de plântulas e crescimento dos indivíduos arbóreos comparativamente entre parcelas com e sem manejo de lianas. Parâmetros da comunidade arbórea foram correlacionados com a densidade de lianas a fim de entender as relações entre estas formas de vida. O tempo necessário para o manejo de lianas foi quantificado e correlacionado com parâmetros da floresta a fim de entender quais fatores afetam o rendimento operacional desta atividade e o plantio de mudas foi testado em parcelas com e sem lianas, como técnica complementar ao manejo. Por fim, analisou-se o efeito do corte de lianas na produção de serapilheira, abertura de dossel, mortalidade dos indivíduos arbóreos e estocagem de carbono na parte aérea dos indivíduos arbóreos. Lianas não afetam a chegada de sementes ou a emergência de plântulas em fragmentos florestais degradados, porém diminuem o estabelecimento de plântulas pioneiras (provavelmente por sombreamento); no entanto, indivíduos arbóreos pioneiros compartilham habitat com as lianas, enquanto que espécies não-pioneiras têm a estrutura e diversidade de suas populações correlacionadas negativamente com a densidade de lianas. A quantidade de homens-hora para o corte de lianas em fragmentos degradados é muito maior que valores estimados para fragmentos florestais conservados, e é inversamente correlacionada com a densidade e área basal das lianas e positivamente relacionado com a densidade e área basal dos indivíduos arbóreos. O corte de lianas alterou a abertura do dossel no curto prazo e a produção de serapilheira, além de aumentar a estocagem de carbono para indivíduos arbóreos menores. O corte de lianas não afetou a mortalidade dos indivíduos arbóreos. Lianas hiperabundantes podem estagnar e até mesmo retroceder a sucessão florestal em fragmentos florestais e o corte de lianas é uma estratégia efetiva para recuperar estes processos. No entanto o manejo deve ser feito de forma contínua, dada a elevada resiliência comunidade de lianas ruderais. O plantio de mudas apresentou alta mortalidade e só é recomendando em casos de elevada abertura de dossel e baixa densidade de indivíduos arbóreos estabelecidos. / The historical human-mediated loss of tropical forest cover has beleaguered significant portions of these biomes in small and degraded forest remnants scattered on the landscape. In this context, ruderal liana species may proliferate and quickly dominate forest canopy, hindering tree individuals and arresting or even reversing forest succession. This study aims at analyzing the ecological barriers that halt forest succession in degraded forest remnants dominated by hyper-abundant lianas, providing ground to develop intervention strategies to restore structure and composition of these remnants and assess the early effects of liana cutting on the dynamic and growth of the forest tree community. We installed 35 plots in a degraded and isolated semideciduous seasonal forest remnant, from which five were installed in less degraded sectors of the forest remnant and 30 were installed in degraded sectors, dominated by hyper-abundant lianas. We chose 20 out of the 30 plots to undergo cutting of all lianas. We compared seed arrival, seedling emergence and establishment and growth of established adult tree individuals among control and liana cutting plots. Tree community parameters were correlated with liana density in order to understand the relation of these two life forms in the degraded forest. Time required, in man-hours, for liana cutting was quantified and correlated with tree and liana community parameters in order to provide ground for estimating labor requirements in similar situations; seedling planting was tested as a complimentary restoration technique. Finally, we assessed the early effects of liana cutting on canopy openness, litter production, tree mortality and carbon stored in the tree community. Lianas do not affect seed arrival or seedling emergence in degraded forest remnants, however, they do increase pioneer seedling mortality (probably through shading); at the same time, established pioneer individuals share habitat with lianas, while non-pioneers have the structure and diversity of their community negatively correlated with liana density. Manhours needed for liana cutting in degraded forest remnants are much higher than estimates for mature forests, and it is inversely correlated with liana density and basal area and positively correlated with tree density and basal area. Early effects of liana cutting included increased canopy openness, reduced litter production and increased carbon uptake by smaller trees. Liana cutting did not affect established trees mortality. Hyper-abundant lianas may stagnate and even reverse forest succession in degraded forest remnants and liana cutting is an effective strategy to recuperate sucessional processes. However, liana cutting must be carried out periodically, given the high resilience of ruderal lianas populations. Seedlings planting had high mortality and it is recommended only when canopy openness is high and density of established tree individuals is low.

As lianas são componentes característicos da Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, importantes para a estrutura e dinâmica deste ecossistema. Entretanto, são escassos os estudos sobre sua ecofisiologia, bem como sua utilização em programas de restauração ecológica. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a ecofisiologia de sementes e juvenis de espécies de liana em relação às preferências ambientais para a regeneração e às variáveis envolvidas no uso dessas espécies na restauração ecológica via semeadura direta. Para isto, sementes de 11 espécies de lianas foram submetidas a quatro tratamentos: com e sem luz e com e sem alternância de temperatura, com 4 repetições de 25 sementes. O experimento sobre o crescimento de mudas foi realizado usando-se oito espécies de lianas submetidas a dois tratamentos: à pleno sol e sob sombra, com 12 repetições. Ao fim do experimento, o número de folhas foi contado. Posteriormente as folhas, o caule e a raiz de cada planta foram cortados, embalados, secos e pesados para obtenção da massa seca destes. Para o estudo da semeadura direta, 400 sementes de três espécies de lianas foram semeadas sob a copa de 48 indivíduos de quatro espécies arbóreas do dossel situadas em uma de floresta em restauração na margem da represa de abastecimento público do Município de Iracemápolis SP. Foi realizada avaliação mensal da emergência de plântulas por 210 dias. As espécies de lianas Bauhinia sp, Pithecoctenium echinatum e Urvillea laevis não necessitaram de luz e alternância de temperatura para germinar. Macfadyena unguiscati, Mucuna sp 1, Temnadenia violacea, Adenocalymma bracteatum e Hippocratea volubilis apresentaram fotoblastismo positivo, entretanto as duas últimas tiveram a porcentagem de germinação modificada pela alternância de temperatura. Peltastes peltatus, Aristolochia galeata e Cardiospermum grandiflorum apresentaram dependência de alternância de temperatura. Com relação à ecofisiologia de mudas, todas sobreviveram na sombra, sendo por isso consideradas como tolerantes ao sombreamento. Adenocalymma bracteatum, Cardiospermum grandiflorum e Macfadyena unguis-cati apresentaram maior crescimento à pleno sol para a maioria das variáveis analisadas, o que lhes confere vantagem competitiva em alta irradiância, como clareiras. Aristolochia galeata, Cissus sicyoides e Mucuna sp 2 apresentaram aumento de valor para poucas variáveis à pleno sol. Enquanto Mucuna sp 1 e Urvillea laevis não apresentam diferença de crescimento entre ambiente sombreado e à pleno sol, ou seja, a abertura de clareira não interfere na taxa de crescimento destas espécies. Com relação à semeadura direta, apenas duas espécies germinaram. Bauhinia sp apresentou emergência de plântulas muito baixa e Macfadyena unguis-cati ao contrário, apresentou germinação maior que a esperada nesta condição. Não houve diferença na emergência de plântulas entre os tratamentos. Assim, as lianas estudadas apresentaram diferentes respostas às condições ambientais típicas de clareiras, já que algumas espécies foram dependentes de luz/alternância de temperatura para germinar ou pleno sol para crescer melhor, e outros foram indiferentes a essas condições. Estes resultados indicam que as características ecofisiológicas de lianas devem ser considerados no planejamento de sua introdução em projetos de ecologia da restauração. / Lianas are important components of the structure and dynamics in seasonally dry forests, but there are few studies on their ecophysiology and use in restoration ecology. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ecophysiology of seeds and juveniles of species of liana in the preferences for environmental regeneration and the variables involved in using these species in direct seeding in restoration ecology. Seeds of 11 liana species were submitted to germination test in a combination of light and dark conditions with constant and alternating temperatures, with 4 replicates of 25 seeds per treatment. Seedlings growth was evaluated for eight liana species in conditions of full sun light and shading, with 12 repetitions per treatment. The plants were evaluated according to the dry mass of leaves, stem and root , as well to the number of leaves per plant. For the study of direct seeding, 400 seeds of three liana species were sowed under the canopy of four tree species present in a 20-year-old restored forest in Iracemápolis - SP. Evaluation was performed monthly and for a period of 210 days by accounting seedling emergence. The species Bauhinia sp, Pithecoctenium echinatum and Urvillea laevis did not require light and alternating temperature to germinate, but the species Macfadyena unguis-cati, Mucuna sp 1, Temnadenia violacea, Adenocalymma bracteatum and Hippocratea volubilis showed positive photoblastism and the species Peltastes peltatus, Aristolochia galeata and Cardiospermum grandiflorum required alternating temperatures. All seedlings survived to shading, but most of then grew better under full sun light. Only the species Bauhinia sp Macfadyena unguis-cati produced seedlings in the direct sowing, but at low emergence percentage and rate, which did not differ among tree species canopy. Thus, the studied lianas can have different responses to environmental conditions typical of forest gaps, as some species required light/alternating temperature to germinate and full sun light to grow better, and others were indifferent to such conditions. These results indicate that the ecophysiological characteristics of lianas should be considered when planning their introduction in restoration ecology projects.