Growth and yield of a tropical rainforest in the Brazilian Amazon 13 years after logging

Successive inventories of a silvicultural experiment in terra firme rain forest within the Tapajós National Forest in the Brazilian Amazon are examined to provide guidelines for operational forest management on a sustainable basis. The experiment was logged in 1979 without additional silvicultural treatment, but included protection from further logging and encroachment (`log and leave'). Thirty six permanent plots established in 1981 were remeasured in 1987 and 1992. Logging changed the canopy structure and altered the composition of the stand, reducing the number of shade tolerant species and stimulating light demanding species. There was a net increase in stem number and stand basal area during the 11 year observation period, and this trend also holds for most of the individual species. The stand basal area 13 years after logging was about 75% of that in a comparable unlogged forest. Logging stimulated growth, but this effect was short lived, lasting only about 3 years, and current growth rates are similar to those in the unlogged forest. Between the first and second remeasures, average diameter increment decreased from 0.4 to 0.2 cm year-1, mortality remained relatively constant at 2.5% year-1, while recruitment (at 5 cm diameter at breast height) decreased from 5 to 2%. Total volume production declined from approximately 6 to 4 m3 ha-1 year-1, while commercial production remained about 0.8 m3 ha-1 year-1. New commercial species increased the commercial volume in 1992 from 18 to 54 m3 ha-1, and the increment to 1.8 m3 ha-1 year-1. Results from this experiment provide the first quantitative information for management planning in the Tapajós Forest, and may guide the choice of cutting cycle and annual allowable cut. Silvicultural treatment to stimulate growth rates in forest areas zoned for timber production should be considered as a viable management option. Extrapolations of these results to an anticipated 30-35 year cutting cycle must be interpreted with caution. Ongoing remeasurement and analysis of these and other plots over the next 30 years or more are necessary to provide a stronger basis for management inferences

As espécies de tauari (Lecythidaceae) em florestas de terra firme da Amazônia: padrões de distribuição geográfica, abundâncias e implicações para a conservação "Tauari" species (Lecythidaceae) in non-flooded Amazon forest: patterns of geographic distribution, abundance, and implications for conservation

Conhecer a distribuição de uma espécie é essencial para o conhecimento de sua ecologia e conservação. Neste estudo, foram levantadas a composição, a abundância, a estrutura diamétrica e a distribuição geográfica das espécies de tauari (Lecythidaceae), um dos grupos de árvores mais explorados na Amazônia. Foram utilizados dados de herbários para definir a área de distribuição das espécies e inventários em seis áreas do bioma (totalizando 401,25 ha) para estimar abundâncias e estruturas diamétricas. Das 14 espécies ocorrentes na Amazônia, nove foram encontradas nos inventários. Couratari guianensis apresentou a maior área de distribuição contínua, porém sempre com densidades baixas. Couratari stellata apresentou a segunda maior área de distribuição, porém disjunta e, em geral, com densidades altas. Cariniana micrantha e Couratari multiflora apresentaram ampla distribuição e densidades variáveis, enquanto a maioria das demais espécies mostrou distribuição regional ou endêmica, e densidades menores que um indivíduo por hectare. A classificação das espécies em relação ao tipo de raridade divergiu daquelas descritas para Couratari guianensis e C. multiflora. Os resultados ressaltam a escassez de dados sobre espécies madeireiras nas regiões mais desmatadas da Amazônia, a necessidade do levantamento da abundância populacional local e regional para a melhor caracterização do seu padrão de distribuição e fornecem bases para a revisão das categorias e critérios de ameaças das espécies de Couratari na lista vermelha da IUCN.<br>Understanding the range of a species is essential to understanding its ecology and conservation. In this study we collected data on the composition, abundance, diametric structure, and geographic distribution of "tauari" species (Lecythidaceae), which are among the most exploited timber trees of the Amazonian forest. We used herbarium data to define the areas of distribution and inventories of 401.25 ha from six areas of Amazonia to list species for estimating abundance and diametric structure. Of the 14 species that occur in the biome, nine were sampled in the inventories. Couratari guianensis had the largest continuous area of distribution, but always at low densities. Couratari stellata had the second largest distribution, but it was discontinuous and usually at high densities. Cariniana micrantha and Couratari multiflora had wide distributions and variable densities, whereas most of the other species showed regional or restricted ranges and densities below one individual per hectare. The classification of species according to rarity type diverged from that described for Couratari guianensis and C. multiflora. These results point out the lack of data for timber species in the most deforested regions of Amazonia, the need for local and regional abundance investigation for better understanding of distribution patterns, and to provide support for reviewing the categories and criteria of threats of Couratari species on the IUCN Red List

Plantas com possível atividade hipolipidêmica: uma revisão bibliográfica de livros editados no Brasil entre 1998 e 2008 Plants with possible hypolipidemic activity: a review of books published in Brazil between 1998 and 2008

O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar levantamento sobre as plantas medicinais indicadas para o tratamento da hiperlipidemia, hipercolesterolemia e/ou aterosclerose. Este estudo foi feito a partir da pesquisa bibliográfica em 32 livros publicados no Brasil entre 1998 e 2008, resultando em lista de 85 espécies distribuídas em 53 famílias, principalmente Asteraceae e Fabaceae, com 54 espécies exóticas e 31 nativas. As espécies mais citadas foram Allium sativum (Alliaceae), Cynara scolymus (Asteraceae), Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae), Allium cepa (Alliaceae), Echinodorus grandiflorus (Alismataceae), Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae), Vernonia condensata (Asteraceae), Cuphea carthagenensis (Lythraceae) e Curcuma zedoaria (Zingiberaceae). As espécies nativas, citadas em pelo menos 2 livros, foram investigadas para alguma evidencia científica relacionada a possíveis efeitos hipolipidêmico, hipocolesterolêmico e/ou contra aterosclerose. Somente foram encontrados estudos científicos, relacionados a estes efeitos, para as espécies nativas Cuphea carthagenensis e Echinodorus grandiflorum, indicando a necessidade de pesquisas que possam garantir a segurança e a eficácia do uso destas espécies.<br>The aim of this study was to survey medicinal plants indicated for the treatment of hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia and/or atherosclerosis. This study was performed from a review of 32 books published in Brazil between 1998 and 2008, resulting in a list of 85 species belonging to 53 families, especially Asteraceae and Fabaceae, with 54 exotic and 31 native species. The species most often cited were Allium sativum (Alliaceae), Cynara scolymus (Asteraceae), Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae), Allium cepa (Alliaceae), Echinodorus grandiflorus (Alismataceae), Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae), Vernonia condensata (Asteraceae), Cuphea carthagenensis (Lythraceae) and Curcuma zedoaria (Zingiberaceae). Native species cited in at least 2 books were investigated for some scientific evidence related to possible hypolipidemic and hypocholesterolemic effects and/or action against atherosclerosis. Scientific studies related to these effects were found only for the native species Cuphea carthagenensis and Echinodorus grandiflorum, indicating the need for studies capable of assuring the safety and the efficacy as to the use of these species