Influence of the landscape on the populations of Ocotea odorifera (Vell.) rohwer in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

The characteristics of the urban centers cause strong pressures under the local landscape and the natural ecosystems, generating habitat fragmentation of native fauna and flora species. The analysis of the landscape’s metrics assists to understand the fragmentation processes and their influence on the most environmentally sensitive species, as is the case of the arboreal species Ocotea odorifera (Vell.) Rohwer, classified as in danger (EN) of extinction. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the structural influence of the landscape on populations and individuals of the species, in its area of potential occurrence in the city of Curitiba, Paraná. The potential distribution map of O. odorifera in the city of Curitiba was compared, using the Maxent algorithm, with a map of fragments of urban vegetation present in protected areas, in order to verify the sites that would be most suitable to preserve it. The material for calculating landscape metrics was divided into habitat and not habitat. Fragstats® software version 4.2 was used to calculate the metrics for fragments: area (AREA), its shape (SHAPE) and isolation (ENN). The central-north region showed the highest probability of occurrence of the specie. The average metric values found were: 10,81 ha to AREA, 1.61 to SHAPE index and 572,91 m of distance to ENN. The north-central region of the city of Curitiba shows the highest probability of occurrence of O. odorifera, whose fragments are highly fragmented and isolated. The analysis of the landscape metrics showed an environment with favorable and unfavorable factors for the occurrence of the species. It is recommended the creation of new Conservation Units in the region and the reintroduction of individuals of the species in these places.