Diametric and hypsometric structural analysis of native forest fragments localized in the São Francisco river watershed, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: (a) to establish the pattern of the diametric and hypsometric frequency distribution; (b) to analyze the distribution adherence (diameter and height), by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; (c) to verify the existence of the structural similarity among fragments, when analyze the diameter and height frequency distributions for the watershed as a whole and among physiognomic groups. This study was carried out in 20 native forest fragments localized in riparian permanent preservation areas along the São Francisco river watershed - Minas Gerais. The groups that showed higher floristic homogeneity have more equilibrium for the diametric and hypsometric distribution pattern. Considering the watershed as a whole the 190 combinations formed it was verified that 8,95% of the combinations were equal for the diametric and hypsometric distributions. Therefore, the same diametric distribution was just 25,26% and 12,10% only for hypsometric distribution, and the majority (53,68%) were not equal for both distributions.