Richness of cerrado woody species engaged in ecological restoration in the brazilian federal district

Abstract

This study has evaluated the richness of Cerrado woody species engaged in ecological restoration in the Brazilian Federal District (BFD). A survey gathered information on plant species traded by local nurseries, species recommended in restoration plans (PRADs), species effectively introduced in areas under restoration, and species present in preserved fragments of Cerrado. Results summed 566 Cerrado woody species from 80 botanical families of which 171 species were traded by local nurseries, 277 were recommended in PRADs, 190 were effectively used in restoration projects, and 434 species were sampled in fragments of native Cerrado. We found low similarity between species composition available in nurseries, recommended in PRADs, used in restoration projects and present in preserved fragments of native Cerrado. Such results indicate a poor connection between steps related to the selection of native woody species that make up initial plant communities on sites under ecological restoration.