SEED BANK FROM A SECTION OF THE GALLERY FOREST “DAS ANTAS” STREAM IN PIRAPUTANGA-MS

Abstract

Seeds can be understood as units that carry genetic variability, and also perpetuation
and dispersion of plants. Vegetation´s recolonization occurs through the establishment of plant
communities, so they act promoting the maintenance of species diversity through the establishment of
ecological groups. The study was developed in the district of Piraputanga, in Aquidauana-MS. Three
samples were collected in the right margin of “Das Antas” stream. The first point is located close to
the headspring, the second was collected on the riverbed, and the third was in an open area without
vegetation cover. With support of a wood platform the soil was collected along with organic materials.
After sorting the soil, count and identify the seeds, the density and relative frequencies of the species
were calculated, and also the diversity phytosociological parameters. The most frequent specie was
Cecropia pachystachya and Astronium urundeuva. The arboreal growth habit was predominant
(47.6%). The most significant dispersion syndrome was zoochory (33.3%). Pioneer species make up
47.6% of the total analyzed. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index indicated low diversity among the
samples, but greater diversity was observed in the open area. According to Simpson's index, the source
area showed the highest species dominance and highest species heterogeneity. The study indicated a
low presence of secondary species in the analyzed areas.

Keywords: Dispersion. Diversity. Phytosociology. Floristics.