STRUCTURAL AND COMPOSITIONAL REORGANIZATION IN PERMANENT CAATINGA PLOTS: EVIDENCE OF COMPENSATORY GROWTH AND REDISTRIBUTION OF DOMINANCE BETWEEN 2022 AND 2024

Authors

  • CLEYTON SOUZA Universidade Federal Rural do Pernanbuco
  • Leandro Nicholas Albuquerque Silva Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido
  • Sara Sebastiana Nogueira Universidade Federal Rural De Pernambuco
  • Maria Gabriela do Nascimento Universidade Federal Rural de Pernanbuco
  • Elaine Cristina Alves da Silva Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
  • Jacqueline Wanessa de Lima Pereira Universidade Federal Rural de Pernanbuco
  • Maria José de Holanda Leite Universidade Federal Rural De Pernambuco
  • Átila Bruno de Moraes Almeida Universidade Federal Rural de Pernanbuco
  • Rosilvam Ramos de Sousa UFRPE, Brasil
  • Maria Janaina Nascimento Silva Independente

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66104/pnmen722

Keywords:

Caatinga, Dry forest, Forest inventory, Permanent plots

Abstract

Seasonally dry tropical forests exhibit dynamics that are strongly modulated by climatic variability and water stress, factors that simultaneously influence mortality, growth, and species composition. This study evaluated structural and compositional changes in 32 permanent plots located in the Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil, by comparing forest inventories conducted in 2022 and 2024. Variations in stem density (N), basal area (G), diameter distribution, species-specific contribution to structural increment (ΔG), Bray–Curtis dissimilarity, and multivariate patterns through NMDS ordination were analyzed.

A slight reduction in mean density per plot was observed, accompanied by a marked increase in basal area, indicating compensatory growth of the remaining individuals. Diameter class distribution showed a decline in the smallest class and an increase in intermediate classes, suggesting structural progression with limited recruitment during the study period. Basal area increment was concentrated in a few species, particularly Prosopis juliflora and Poincianella pyramidalis, indicating a reorganization of structural dominance. Dissimilarities were higher when based on basal area than on abundance, revealing stronger changes in biomass structure than in floristic composition. NMDS ordination revealed heterogeneous shifts among plots, suggesting locally differentiated responses.

The results indicate that, during the analyzed interval, the community exhibited significant structural growth accompanied by a reorganization of dominance, a pattern consistent with recent processes described for Latin American dry forests under climatic variability.

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References

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Published

2026-03-07

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 02 (2026): REMUNOM - ISSN 2178-6925

Section

Artigos

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Copyright (c) 2026 Cleyton dos Santos Souza, Leandro Nicholas Albuquerque Silva, Sara Sebastiana Nogueira, Maria Gabriela do Nascimento, Elaine Cristina Alves da Silva , Jacqueline Wanessa de Lima Pereira, Maria José de Holanda Leite, Átila Bruno de Moraes Almeida, Rosilvam Ramos de Sousa, Maria Janaina Nascimento Silva

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How to Cite

STRUCTURAL AND COMPOSITIONAL REORGANIZATION IN PERMANENT CAATINGA PLOTS: EVIDENCE OF COMPENSATORY GROWTH AND REDISTRIBUTION OF DOMINANCE BETWEEN 2022 AND 2024. (2026). REMUNOM, 13(02), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.66104/pnmen722