Tree Communities in Three-Year-Old Post-Mining Sites Under Different Forest Restoration Techniques in the Brazilian Amazon

Background:

Mining has been identified as a major contributor to forest loss, leading to the need for effective restoration techniques in post-mining sites. In this context, the knowledge of floristic composition is crucial for managing natural regeneration, selecting species for restoration plantings, and aiding conservation programs of threatened plant species. One well-known example of mining impacts on the Amazon rainforest vegetation is located in the Paragominas municipality, Pará, Brazil.

Goals:

This research aims to analyze the tree composition, successional stage, dispersal and pollination syndromes, conservation status of tree species, and proximity to seed sources under different forest restoration techniques (seedling planting, natural regeneration, and assisted natural regeneration or nucleation) implemented in post-mining sites in the Paragominas municipality (Pará, Brazil).

Takeaway:

This study demonstrates that the selection of restoration techniques plays a crucial role in shaping tree composition and functional groups, with seedling planting sites exhibiting the highest abundance, species richness, and diversity values. Furthermore, the research emphasizes the importance of considering the proximity to seed sources in the restoration process, as it is found to be negatively correlated with tree diversity and species richness. The identification of threatened tree species in the restored sites underscores the conservation significance of effective restoration strategies.