CHARACTERIZATION OF SPONTANEOUS NUCLEI OF Clidemia urceolata DC. IN DISTURBED AREAS OF THE ATLANTIC FOREST

A Clidemia urceolata DC. e uma especie pioneira da familia Melastomataceae, que coloniza espontaneamente pastagens abandonadas. Ela forma nucleos de tamanhos variados, onde podem ser observadas outras especies de grupo sucessional mais avancado, podendo constituir uma especie facilitadora. O presente estudo objetivou quantificar e caracterizar os nucleos na bacia hidrografica do rio Barra Mansa - RJ (6.839 ha) (22\ub032'40''22\ub040'60''S e 44\ub012'44\ub006'20''W), tributario do rio Paraiba do Sul. Eles foram georreferenciados e caracterizados quanto ao porte dos individuos de Clidemia urceolata (baixo: H < 0,60 m; medio: 0,60 < H < 1,20 m; e alto: H 651,20 m), adensamento (esparso, medio e adensado), area do nucleo (pequeno: 64500 m2; medio: 500 a 2000 m2; e grande: 652000 m2) e estagio de desenvolvimento (inicial, intermediario e avancado). Foram identificados 26 nucleos, totalizando 7,9 ha. Desses, houve predominio de nucleos com individuos de porte medio (76,92%), pouco adensado (42,31%), tamanho grande (42,31%) e estagio intermediario de desenvolvimento (46,16%), evidenciando que se encontram em formacao, e que a estrategia de colonizacao, reproducao e dispersao da Clidemia urceolata pode contribuir para dinamizar a sucessao ecologica, podendo atuar como agente espontaneo de restauracao florestal das areas perturbadas.Clidemia urceolata DC. is a pioneer species of the family Melastomataceae which colonizes spontaneously abandoned pastures. It forms nuclei of different sizes, where other species of advanced successional groups can be observed, constituting a facilitative species. The present study aimed to quantify and characterize the nuclei in the watershed of Barra Mansa river, Rio de Janeiro state (6.839 ha) (22\ub032'40''22\ub040'60''S e 44\ub012'44\ub006'20''W), which is a tributary of Paraiba do Sul river. They were geographically referenced and characterized regarding to the size of Clidemia urceolata individuals (low: H <0,60 m; medium: 0,60 <H <1,20 m; and high: H 651,20m), densification (scattered, medium and dense), area of the nuclei (small: 64500 m2; medium: 500 to 2000 m2; and large: 652000 m2) and development stage (initial, intermediate and advanced). 26 nuclei were identified, adding up to 7,9 ha. There was the prevalence of nuclei with medium sized individuals (76,92%), slightly dense (42,31%), big area (42,31%) and intermediate developmental stage (46,16%), evidencing that they are in progress and that colonization strategy, reproduction and dispersion of Clidemia urceolata can contribute to boost the ecological succession, being able to act as a spontaneous agent of forest restoration of the disturbed areas