EFFECTS OF THE CANOPY COVER ON THE DENSITY AND HEIGHT OF UNDERSTOREY GRASSES AND NATURAL REGENERATION OF WOODY SPECIES OF A GALLERY FOREST IN CENTRAL BRAZIL

Abstract

This study was undertaken in Monjolo’s gallery forest, at Reserva Ecológica do IBGE, Brasília-DF, in the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado). The main objective was to assess the effects of canopy cover on the density and height of understorey grasses, Olyra taquara e Ichnanthus pallens, and natural regeneration of woody species. A spherical densiometer was used to determine the canopy cover levels on 15 plots (1´4m each). All the individuals in this plots with height between 0.1 and 4m were recorded. The height, basal area and density of the two grasses and other plants at the natural regeneration level were correlated to each other and with the intensity of the canopy cover. Density of the natural regeneration was negatively correlated with canopy cover. Olyra taquara seems to restrict the natural regeneration, but Ichnanthus pallens had no significant effect. There was no significant correlations between grasses (density and heigth) with the levels of canopy cover, however both seem to possess proper ecological demands.