Influence of edaphic variables on predominance of forest species after selective logging in the Amazonian biome

Abstract

The floristic composition of fragmented landscapes can significantly influence their potential resilience and regeneration in the event of natural or anthropogenic disturbance. This study aimed to characterize soil influence on tree composition and determine the relationship of edaphic variables to the predominant species in a part of the Amazon Forest under selective logging. The fixed area method was applied to clusters of 10 × 250 m, considering trees with a DBH ≥ 10 cm. The 20 highest-importance species of the fragment composed the vegetation matrix. For the characterization of the forest soil, three soil samples composed of subunits were collected, and the edaphic variables were represented by pH H2O, pH CaCl2, P, K, Ca, Ca+Mg, Mg, Al, H, OM, SB, CEC, V%, Ca%, Mg% and TOC. Despite the low tree density found in the study, the high basal area suggests that the species present are tolerant to changes and environmental disturbances. The tree component is dominated by species characteristic of degraded environments, where the soil’s chemical composition explains most of the species variation. Qualea paraensis, Bellucia grossularioides, Cheiloclinium cognatum, Diplotropis purpurea and Erisma uncinatum show great potential for use in degraded forest ecosystems in the Amazon Biome.