Use of Surrounding Land Influences Forest Remants Composition and Structure

This study aimed to analyze the use of surrounding land of 143 sample plots in the mixed ombrophilous forest in Santa Catarina and investigate a possible relationship of land use with the vegetation status. We used a land use map in 2005 and vegetation data from 143 sample plots (SP) from the Floristic Forest Inventory of Santa Catarina (IFFSC) collected between 2007 and 2009. The surroundings were delimited by buffers of different distances from the SP center. Forest coverage and distance between SP and fragment edge showed significant correlations with richness and abundance of climax species and a negative correlation with richness and abundance of pioneer species (α=0.05) in the fragment. The landscapes with greater forest coverage and larger patches allow the best preserved forest maintenance and show less influence of the surrounding matrix.