Inventory in situ of plant resources used as fuel in the Semiarid Region of Northeast Brazil

Abstract

Timber resources are constantly used by traditional communities to meet their everyday needs. Assuming the importance and use of these resources for energy purposes, we applied the inventory in situ method, over 12 months, aiming to identify the species most used as firewood and charcoal, their dynamics of renewal, and species availability in the forest fragment studied. The study was conducted in the Rural Community of São Francisco, Municipality of Cabaceiras (Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil). Overall, we recorded 15 species, 14 genera, and 6 botanical families, from which Fabaceae (8 spp) and Anacardiaceae (3 spp) were the most prominent, due to having greater diversity of species. The most used native species in the community was Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão (aroeira) and we also recorded the constant use of Prosopis juliflora (algaroba), which is an exotic species. The results evidenced the effective use of natural resources, and may complement in general ethnobotanical studies.