The purpose of the present study was to analyze differences in physiognomic structure, species diversity, and species guild composition of the tree community of different sectors of a tropical semideciduous forest fragment. Each sector varies in terms of regeneration phase and exposure to the forest edges. The forest fragment, which has an area of 5.8ha and is situated in Lavras municipality, Minas Gerais State, Brazil (21°13'40''S; 44°57'50''W), was classified into four sectors and underwent a census of all trees with dbh > 5.0cm. The sectors were compared for tree density and basal area, distribution of heights and diameters, species diversity, and frequency of trees per regeneration, dispersal, and stratification guilds. The sectors that were more lightly disturbed in the past, Tall Interior and Tall Edge, showed higher tree basal areas, lower tree densities (particularly for smaller size classes), and higher proportions of individuals of shade-tolerant tree species and tall tree species, than the more heavily disturbed sectors, Low Interior and Low Edge. These differences indicate that the Tall sectors are at a more advanced regeneration phase. The Edge sectors had higher frequency of trees of anemochorous species than the Interior sectors. Each Edge sector had higher species diversity than its Interior partner. It was concluded that the analyzed parameters may serve as efficient means of assessment of past disturbance severity as well as of present regeneration phase and edge effects.
Dispersal guild; disturbance; fragmentation; regeneration guild; stratification guild
