Forest trails can influence the composition and structure of plant communities by causing abiotic changes along their course and in the vicinity. To understand the behavior of the floristic and structural vegetation along the trails, two surveys were conducted in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, in the "Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga", São Paulo, State of São Paulo, and in the "Mata da Biologia", Viçosa, State of Minas Gerais, using identical minimum diameter at breast height and sample areas. For the data analysis, ANOVA and chi-square test were chosen. There were variations in density and number of upright dead plants in both surveys, with higher values alongside the trail. Both fragments showed no relationship between distribution of plants per dispersion syndrome and distance from the trail. It was found that the trails interfere with tree vegetation in both fragments, and it is suggested that trails should come to be treated as a potential source of impact in forest restoration programs.
conservation; edge effect; phytosociology
