Growth of Araucaria angustifolia, Cedrela fissilis and Ocotea porosa in different locations within the Araucaria forest in the southern Brazil

• Published in: Forest ecology and management Vol. 486; p. 118941
• Main Authors: Stepka, Thiago Floriani, Mattos, Patrícia Povoa de, Figueiredo Filho, Afonso, Braz, Evaldo Muñoz, Machado, Sebastião do Amaral
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.04.2021
• Subjects: Dendrochronology; Diameter increment; Forest dynamic; Tropical forest; Tropical forest; Forest dynamic; Diameter increment; Dendrochronology
• ISSN: 0378-1127; 1872-7042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2021.118941

•Diametric growth was evaluated over a time horizon of up to 250 years.•Forest structure influence tree growth more than environmental variation.•Growth pattern was influenced by age and successional stage of the remnants.•Local limiting factors and competition influenced growth of 3 tree species. This research investigated and characterized growth of Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Ktze, Cedrela fissilis Velloso and Ocotea porosa (Nees & C. Mart.) Barroso in Araucaria Forest in sites located within three States of southern Brazil, each one presenting different conservation stages. We evaluate diametric growth based on partial stem analysis using core samples from 30 trees by species at each study site (totalizing 480 trees), collected proportionally to the diametric distribution.The samples were collectedfor each species in six locations: Irati and São João do Triunfo, in Parana State, Três Barras, Chapecó and Caçador, in Santa Catarina State and São Francisco de Paula in Rio Grande do Sul State. The oldest trees were observed in Caçador (A. angustifolia, 588 years old and O. porosa, 322 years old) and Irati (C. fissilis, 231 years old). The youngest ones were A. angustifolia in Chapecó (33 years), O. porosa in Três Barras (26 years) and C. fissilis in São João do Triunfo (20 years). The largest average diameters for A. angustifolia and C. fissilis were found in Caçador (75 and 44.1 cm, respectively) and for O. porosa (54.5 cm) in São João do Triunfo. The age and the diametric classes of the trees affect growth, independent of the forest stock condition. Although differences in diameter growth of the three species have been attributed to variations in environmental conditions, it is suspected a greater influence of forest structure since similar climatic groups have showed distinct growth rates. Successional stages of the forest should also be considered when evaluating growth rhythm of the same species in different sites.