Invasão biológica por Epipremnum aureum (L.) Engl. e impactos sobre a regeneração natural em fragmento florestal urbano

Abstract

Biological invasion is the process that involves the establishment and large proliferation of a species not native to the environment, leading to imbalances in the native community. Invasive alien species threaten ecosystems, habitats or species, due to their competitive advantages and facilitated by the absence of predators and the degradation of natural environments, caused mainly by anthropic actions. The biological invasions affect ecological processes and the physical environment, being one of the aggravating factors the influence on the successional processes of regeneration of the forests. Conservation Units are an active way of protecting biodiversity and natural resources. The invasive species Epipremnum aureum (L.) Engl. is possibly from the Solomon Islands and the main feature that distinguishes E. aureum from native species of the family Araceae is the membranous leaf blade, greenish discolor with yellowish macules. Its leaves when new are small, this size relative to the creeping terrestrial habit, but when adults begin to adhere in a stem gradually becoming larger. E. aureaum has a great capacity of colonization, allied to the favorable conditions of its propagation in the urban forest fragment of the JBR and from this problematic, the present study aims to check the impacts caused by this invasive species on the regeneration of this fragment, thus giving subsidy for future analyzes and prevention and control measures. Three ANI, AI1 and AI2 areas were sampled, classified in non-infested area and areas with infestation levels (predominance of invasive species), for analysis of floristic and structural described. After diagnosis, the density values showed a tendency to increase; difference in the distribution of abundance of individuals and decreasing diversity patterns throughout the infestation. There may be indications that these infested areas of the JBR fragment may be providing resources that benefit exotic species rather than native species