Abstract

MEIRELES, Catarina; GONCALVES, Paula; REGO, Francisco  and  SILVEIRA, Sofia. Study of the Natural Regeneration of the Native Arboreal Vegetation at Serra da Malcata Nature Reserve. Silva Lus. [online]. 2005, vol.13, n.2, pp.217-231. ISSN 0870-6352.

Human activities practised over the centuries at Serra da Malcata Nature Reserve have lead to considerable deterioration of the native arboreal vegetation characteristic of the region: Quercus suber (cork oak) and Quercus pyrenaica (Pyrenean oak) woodlands, and are found in the Bazágueda River basin in the South and the Meimoa Stream and Côa River basins in the centre and the North, respectively. This climax vegetation has been substituted by large patches of shrubland, and in the quasi-inaccessible areas by Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree) copses. The latter represents the first retrogressive seral stage of the above mentioned forests as well as in the secondary Quercus rotundifolia (round-leafed oak) woods in the cork oak's geographic range. The restoration of native vegetation is one of the priorities of the Protected Area and is the reason why the restorative capacity of the climax communities was assessed from the natural regeneration of the four above-mentioned species in the main shrub and arboreal communities. The assessment was carried out on areas not managed in recent years (management regime known as "Natural Dynamics") as well as on those subjected to "Fire" and "Cutting". The effect of various ecological factors and community attributes on the implementation of natural regeneration was also studied. The results emphasise the need to plant Quercus suber, Quercus rotundifolia and Arbutus unedo within their natural range, while the Quercus pyrenaica woodlands of the centre and North can be maintained through an adequate management of the vegetative regeneration found in the understory.

Keywords : natural regeneration; natural dynamics; fire; cutting.

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