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O presente trabalho trata de efeitos de borda, especialmente sobre solo e serapilheira. Foi dividido em dois capítulos independentes, mas complementares: uma revisão bibliográfica e um estudo de caso em cerrado. Revisão bibliográfica. Os estudos sobre borda tiveram, inicialmente, um enfoque exclusivamente voltado aos interesses humanos, ganhando o enfoque ecológico atual há menos de três décadas. Assim, o principal objetivo desta revisão bibliográfica foi gerar um panorama sobre como o assunto \"borda\" vem sendo estudado pelo mundo, de 1990 a 2007, por meio de buscas em periódicos disponíveis online. De forma geral, o número de publicações sobre o tema \"borda\" vem aumentando visivelmente com o passar dos anos. No entanto, a região inter-tropical (latitudes entre 23°26\'22\'\'N e 23°26\'22\'\'S) é a que demanda maior preocupação na atualidade por apresentar menor número de publicações. Estudo de caso. A crescente substituição de áreas de cerrado por cultivos de cana-de-açúcar e eucaliptos tem gerado intensa fragmentação de habitats nativos no estado de São Paulo, deixando-os sujeitos aos efeitos de borda. Neste capítulo, o principal objetivo foi verificar os efeitos de borda causados por monoculturas de cana-de-açúcar e eucaliptos sobre os nutrientes do solo e da serrapilheira em três fragmentos de cerradão, na região nordeste do estado de São Paulo (municípios de Santa Rita do Passa Quatro e Luiz Antônio), visando a conservação das áreas estudadas. Análises físicas e químicas de amostras de solo superficial (0-15 cm) e de serrapilheira, coletadas a distâncias de 0, 10, 20, 40, 80 e 160 m da borda entre os fragmentos nativos e a matriz (monocultura), bem como no interior do fragmento e nos dois tipos de matriz demonstraram a existência de um gradiente na quantidade dos nutrientes, evidenciando efeitos de borda causados por cultivos agrícolas. / This thesis tells about border effects, especially on soil and litter. It contains two independent, but complementary, chapters: a literature review and a case study in cerrado. Literature review. The first studies on edge were exclusively focused on the man\'s point of view, and the focus turned to ecological concern less than three decades ago. Thus, the main objective of this literature review was to get a broad view on how the subject \"border\" is being studied around the world, from 1990 to 2007, by searching in scientific journals available online. In general, the number of publications on the theme is increasing outstandingly with time. But the inter-tropical region (latitudes between 23°26\'22\'\'N and 23°26\'22\'\'S) is the one with fewer publications and requires awareness. Case study. The increasing substitution of cerrado environments by sugar cane and eucalyptus plantations in São Paulo State has caused severe fragmentation of the native habitats, which become exposed to edge effects. The main objective of this chapter was to verify edge effects caused by sugar cane and eucalyptus monocultures on the nutrients of cerrado soil and litter. The research was carried out in three cerradão fragments in the Northeast of São Paulo State (Santa Rita do Passa Quatro and Luiz Antônio municipalities), aiming at the conservation of the studied areas. Chemical and physical analyses of surface soil (0-15 cm) and litter, collected at 0, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 m of the edge between the native fragment and the matrix (monoculture), as well as inside the fragment and the monocultures, showed a gradient in the amount of nutrients, supporting the existence of border effects caused by the agriculture.

In the wetter climates associated with the coastal forests of northwestern North America, coarse woody debris (CWD) accumulations in the form of snags, downed boles, and large branches can be large in natural forest ecosystems. Seedlings often regenerate on stumps and downed logs in the understory of old-growth coastal forests. The question remains though, whether CWD is a necessary component for seedling survival and growth in forests managed for commodity production. This study addresses one concern of forest managers: is there an immediate nutritional or moisture supply advantage conferred by CWD for the survival and growth of seedlings in the coastal climate of British Columbia? We compared survival and growth of seedlings planted in decaying wood compared to non-woody humus forms and mineral soil under heavy shade and full light conditions. Low light environments are of particular interest since reports of the strong association between CWD and regeneration has primarily referred to understory seedlings and saplings in old-growth forests.

The forest floor represents the uppermost organic and organicenriched mineral soil horizons. They have been formed by the deposition of organic material and the subsequent biologically mediated decomposition. The forest floor influences rooting-zone temperature, aeration, moisture, and nutrient conditions, and hence, forest productivity. Considering the importance of the forest floor, and the fact that it is exposed to disturbance (being the surface layer), we need to assess the potential impacts our logging practices may have. Clearcutting, one of the contentious silvicultural practices used in British Columbia, is imputed to most adversely affect ecosystems and sustainability. We assessed the long-term impact of clearcutting on the forest floor by documenting changes in the thickness, chemical and biotic properties of the humus form across a chronosequence of forest stands. The study was located in the largest and most representative portion of the coastal rainforest the Very Wet Maritime Coastal Western Hemlock (CWHvm) subzone.

In the wetter climates associated with the coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest, coarse woody debris (CWD) accumulations in the form of snags, downed boles, and large branches can be large in natural forest ecosystems. Although maintaining organic matter for sustainable site productivity is not in dispute, the importance of CWD as a source of soil organic matter is questionable. Forest managers attempting to optimize timber production need to know how CWD affects short-term forest tree growth and productivity. This study addresses the question of the immediate value of CWD for growth of mature (90 year old) western hemlock (Hw). Because of practical difficulty with mature trees growing in different substrates, we utilized fine root distribution or proliferation, as an indicator of important substrates.

Knowledge of ecological characteristics of trees, sites and tree growth on different sites is fundamental for silvicultural decision-making and planning. With the biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification in place, silvicultural management in British Columbia has been given an ecological foundation; however, relationships between growth and site have not yet been fully investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine how height growth of Douglas-fir within the drier portion of the CWH zone varies with site. We adopted site index (m @ 50 yr bh) as a species-specific measure of forest productivity, recognizing that it indicates height growth performance at a selected point in time. If forest productivity is correlated with ecological measures of site quality, what site factors should be used to quantify the relationships? Because of compensating effects, the numerous site factors can be reduced to four primary (synoptic) factors that directly affect plant establishment and growth: climate (light and temperature), soil moisture, soil nutrients, and soil aeration (not used in this study).

The three major components in the site classification of the biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification system are: climatic regimes, soil moisture regimes (SMRs) and soil nutrient regimes (SNRs). Both SMRs and SNRs can be identified in the field using soil characteristics and indicator plants. In the case of SMRs a quantitative classification was also developed that allow comparison of SMRs in different subzones. However, similar quantitative classification has not yet been developed for SNRs. This pamphlet summarizes and compares the results of several regional studies conducted in different biogeclimatic zones. Each of theses studies aimes to develop a quantitative SNR classification (Table 1). The comparison will examine: (1) how well the field-based classification matches quantitative classification, and (2) which direct measures distinguish best between field-identified SNRs.

O presente trabalho trata de efeitos de borda, especialmente sobre solo e serapilheira. Foi dividido em dois capítulos independentes, mas complementares: uma revisão bibliográfica e um estudo de caso em cerrado. Revisão bibliográfica. Os estudos sobre borda tiveram, inicialmente, um enfoque exclusivamente voltado aos interesses humanos, ganhando o enfoque ecológico atual há menos de três décadas. Assim, o principal objetivo desta revisão bibliográfica foi gerar um panorama sobre como o assunto \"borda\" vem sendo estudado pelo mundo, de 1990 a 2007, por meio de buscas em periódicos disponíveis online. De forma geral, o número de publicações sobre o tema \"borda\" vem aumentando visivelmente com o passar dos anos. No entanto, a região inter-tropical (latitudes entre 23°26\'22\'\'N e 23°26\'22\'\'S) é a que demanda maior preocupação na atualidade por apresentar menor número de publicações. Estudo de caso. A crescente substituição de áreas de cerrado por cultivos de cana-de-açúcar e eucaliptos tem gerado intensa fragmentação de habitats nativos no estado de São Paulo, deixando-os sujeitos aos efeitos de borda. Neste capítulo, o principal objetivo foi verificar os efeitos de borda causados por monoculturas de cana-de-açúcar e eucaliptos sobre os nutrientes do solo e da serrapilheira em três fragmentos de cerradão, na região nordeste do estado de São Paulo (municípios de Santa Rita do Passa Quatro e Luiz Antônio), visando a conservação das áreas estudadas. Análises físicas e químicas de amostras de solo superficial (0-15 cm) e de serrapilheira, coletadas a distâncias de 0, 10, 20, 40, 80 e 160 m da borda entre os fragmentos nativos e a matriz (monocultura), bem como no interior do fragmento e nos dois tipos de matriz demonstraram a existência de um gradiente na quantidade dos nutrientes, evidenciando efeitos de borda causados por cultivos agrícolas. / This thesis tells about border effects, especially on soil and litter. It contains two independent, but complementary, chapters: a literature review and a case study in cerrado. Literature review. The first studies on edge were exclusively focused on the man\'s point of view, and the focus turned to ecological concern less than three decades ago. Thus, the main objective of this literature review was to get a broad view on how the subject \"border\" is being studied around the world, from 1990 to 2007, by searching in scientific journals available online. In general, the number of publications on the theme is increasing outstandingly with time. But the inter-tropical region (latitudes between 23°26\'22\'\'N and 23°26\'22\'\'S) is the one with fewer publications and requires awareness. Case study. The increasing substitution of cerrado environments by sugar cane and eucalyptus plantations in São Paulo State has caused severe fragmentation of the native habitats, which become exposed to edge effects. The main objective of this chapter was to verify edge effects caused by sugar cane and eucalyptus monocultures on the nutrients of cerrado soil and litter. The research was carried out in three cerradão fragments in the Northeast of São Paulo State (Santa Rita do Passa Quatro and Luiz Antônio municipalities), aiming at the conservation of the studied areas. Chemical and physical analyses of surface soil (0-15 cm) and litter, collected at 0, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 m of the edge between the native fragment and the matrix (monoculture), as well as inside the fragment and the monocultures, showed a gradient in the amount of nutrients, supporting the existence of border effects caused by the agriculture.