ABSTRACT
Natural gaps are essential to tropical rain forest regeneration. Different gap definitions are used in studies of tropical rain forests, which makes it difficult to compare results. We compared two definitions to find out if they would lead to different floristic and structural results. One definition is based on the canopy opening, while the other on the open area at ground level. Definitions were applied in five gaps, where edge vegetation was studied. Results were not significantly different, and were credited to the irregular structure of the forest what makes its canopy higly permeable to sun light. This condition seems to minimize the microclimate gradient, related to sun light, expected between the two definition áreas sampled.
Keywords:
definitions of natural gaps; Ombrophylous forest regeneration; phytosociology