In sampling accomplished in the drought station of 2002 in three pure forest populations constituted by: sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia), sombreiro (Clitoria fairchildiana) and pinus (Pinus sp.) and, an area in initial process of ecological succession, 25 samples of soils were collected by area in two depths: 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm. The studied universe is located at the Balneary "O Quebra", Areia Municipal district, PB. The biggest seeds density always happened in the 0-5 cm depth, independent of the studied environment. The population of sombreiro showed the biggest stock of seeds, being verified 1,012 and 405 seeds germinated/m² in the depths 0-5 cm and 510 cm, respectively. The seeds bank floristic composition was dominated by species of the Urticaceae family with more than 40% in the two studied depths. The more abundant life form was herbs, independent of the depth, followed by bushes and trees, in all the environments, except in the sombreiro population, where predominated bushes, followed by herbs and trees. Except the sombreiro population, all the studied environments present different densities of the seeds bank of the soil, in spite of being similar in floristic composition.
Forestry; ecological succession; natural regeneration
