Competition Indexes to Evaluate Tree Growth in a Semi-Deciduous Seasonal Forest

Índices de Competição na Avaliação do Crescimento Arbóreo em Floresta Estacional Semidecidual

ABSTRACT

Most of the studies that analyze the behavior of tree competition approach even-aged plantations. Therefore, it is possible to notice a lack of this kind of information regarding natural forests with high biodiversity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the competition in a fragment of Semi-Deciduous Seasonal Forest, according to the ecologic group, light depending and non-depending groups for all species sampled in the fragment. The Distance Independent Competition Index and Semi-Distance Independent Competition Index were applied in this study. The basal area in larger trees index, without the radius of influence, was the most efficient to analyze how the competition affects the growth of the specimens in the studied fragment. It was stated that evaluating the competition per ecologic group is more efficient. The results confirm that the forest competition cannot be determined by considering only a fixed radius of influence that embraces the neighbors and the subject tree.

Keywords:
Atlantic Forest; ecologic groups; radius competition; forest management