ABSTRACT
The increment of a tropical forest under logging depends not only on the growth rate but also on the residual diameter structure of the forest. It was estimated the residual diametric structure to guarantee the necessary increment to recover the logged timber volume in a compartment of tropical forest in the state of Amazonas, in Brazil. The simulation of forest growth rate calculated after cutting when observing calculated tax and structure resulted in an increment that can recover the initial commercial volume during the cycle under consideration. It was observed in simulations that if the total commercial volume is removed in the beginning of the first logging cycle the forest will not recover the timber volume under the cycle in question. It was observed that approximately 81 % of the increment that is necessary to recover the volume logged was originated in the commercial residual classes (above 45 cm of diameter center class). It was identified an optimal class of diameter to be kept in the forest, above which the timber volume return is null. The most important to be considered in the volume recover is the increment potential of the forest structure that must remain in the compartment.
Keywords:
tropical forest management; cutting intensity; increment