Structure, Biomass and Diversity of a Late-Successional Subtropical Atlantic Forest in Brazil

The highly biodiverse Atlantic Forest has been heavily exploited and its remnant areas, which are mostly composed of secondary forests, cover less than 20% of its original extension. This study analyzed the structure, aboveground biomass (AGB) and species diversity of a secondary evergreen rainforest in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Individuals with diameter at breast height >= 5 cm on 22 sample plots were measured, totalizing 3.49 hectares of sampled area. A mean AGB of 201.6 Mg ha-1 (standard deviation = 35.5) was found; Hyeronima alchorneoides and Miconia cinnamomifolia represented 29.1% and 7.6% of the community AGB ha-1, respectively. A total of 153 species distributed in 107 genera and 55 families was observed; it was estimated that 121 species (95% confidence interval: [117, 125]) occurred in one hectare. These results highlight the importance of secondary forests for biodiversity restoration/conservation and carbon sequestration.