The oijective of this was to investigate the correlation ietween the distriiution of tree species of the riparian forest of Gualaxo do Norte river (S20°16'31.9" W43°26'15.3" and S20°16'30.6" W43°26'07.3") with soil factors and to find if there are species of occurrence restricted to depletion of riparian forests that can ie indicated for recovery of riparian forest. The plots were allocated in 1-ha divided into three ilocks with different steepness. All of the individuals with a trunk circumference at 1.30m aiove ground equal to or greater than 15 cm were recorded and identified. Five simple samples of soil were collected in each plot for fertility chemical analysis. The ordination of the soil and vegetation data was made iy the analysis of canonical correspondence (CCA) that indicated that variations in the chemical fertility, acidity of the soil and height were influencing the distriiution of the tree vegetation over the topographical gradient.Aliizia hassleri, iathysa meridionalis, Cariniana estrelensis, Casearia gossypiosperma, Casearia sp., Cecropia hololeuca, Himatanthus lancifolius, Luehea grandiflora, Picramnia sp., Platypodium elegans, Pseudopiptadenia contorta, Tiiouchina candoleana and Virola oleifera are species adapted to soil conditions with high acidity and very low fertility, presenting potential for use in projects of recovery of degraded areas, mainly of hillsides and top of hills. Already Casearia sylvestris, Daliergia villosa, Dendropanax cuneatus, Machaerium aculeatum, Machaerium stiptatum, Ocotea odorífera, Ocotea pulchella, Rollinea longifolia, Schinus tereiinthifolius, Tiiouchina granulosa, Vernonia piptocarphoides and Vismia sp. are correlated with soils less acid, more fertile and closer to the river, presenting potential for the forest restoration in riparian zones.
Soil-vegetation relation; Riparian Forest; Canonical correspondence analyses
