CBO_005 - ESTAÇÃO CIENTÍFICA FERREIRA PENNA - DEZ ANOS DE PESQUISA NA AMAZÔNIA Monitoring forest dynamics with permanent forest plots: the TEAM vegetation protocol and preliminary findings from Caxiuanã Samuel Soares de Almeida , Maria Aparecida de Freitas, Antonio Sérgio Lima da Silva & Ely Simone Gurgel Cajueiro Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, campus de Pesquisa. Av. Perimetral, 1901 - Terra-Firme – Belém (PA) CEP: 66077-530 - Caixa Postal: 399 - Correio eletrônico: samuel@museu-goeldi.br I NTRODUCTION The Caxiuanã National Forest in the Brazilian Amazon is a TEAM Initiative site, under joint agreement between Conservation International and the Emílio Goeldi Museum. Most monitoring protocols are already implemented on site, and preliminary data are beginning to show interesting patterns. The Ferreira Penna Scientific Station (ECFPn), operated by the Goeldi Museum, is located in IBAMA’s 300,000 hectare Caxiuanã National Forest, about 400 km to the east of Pará’s capital city of Belém. As the only scientific research station in the eastern Amazon, its purpose is to conduct scientific research on natural resources and their proper use, as well as studying regional cultures and improving the quality of life among local people. In this paper we discuss the implantation of protocols for monitoring the vegetation at the site and present preliminary results on floristics and forest structure. Overview of the vegetation protocol On the basis of the Vegetation Protocol provided by TEAM/CABS/CI, the main baselines are: OBJECTIVES To measure canopy structure, turnover rates, biomass, and community composition over 10 years. To compare that data with climatic data to see if any correlations can be made between changes in structure, biomass and composition and changes in climate. Variables in the vegetation to be monitored Canopy structure, understory cover and structure, biomass and community composition. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN 1) Stratify by major forest types. 2) Stratify by altitude, placing plots inside every change in altitude of 500 m, this will be especially important is in montane regions. 3) Using this stratification scheme, place 1 ha plot in each stratum. There would be a minimum number of plots for each site, as well as a maximum. 4) The .1 ha plots would be randomly placed within the stratum as well. 5) The number of plots will be decided based on the results of a power analysis being conducted at NCEAS. 1 ha plots: Long term monitoring to track changes in forest structure, biomass and dynamics. All plots were divided into 25 20m x 20m quadrates (400m 2 ) subquadrates marked, all trees greater than or equal to 10 cm DBH are tagged. Plot should be corrected for slope to insure that each 20m x 20m quadrate contains 400 m 2 . Use the Topography and Mapping Grid Methodology from Condit (Condit 1998) Chapter 2.1. All trees ≥ 10 cm DBH should be tagged and the DBH should be recorded. See Condit (1998) Chapter 2.2 for guidelines on tagging, numbering and DBH measurements. 0.1 ha plot: Initial survey of diversity and biomass within site; Show how representative the 1 ha plot is of the larger 1 km are with regards to composition and biomass. The boundaries of the .1 ha plots will be marked but not necessarily re- measured. These are to give us an idea of the heterogeneity within each stratum. The Protocol setup The establishment of permanent forest plots was carefully done so that they can serve as references for the duration of the TEAM project and beyond. These areas were located on contour maps and satellite images, and then referenced with GPS. The main plots were laid out on flat, upland terrain so that topography and vegetation are relatively standardized and representative. After final placement, perimeters and trails were marked with plastic poles at 50 m intervals. In the center of each plot, the one-hectare subplot was delineated, where all plants with DBH ≥ 10 cm were marked with aluminum tags, measured, and taxonomically identified by comparison with herbarium specimens. As fertile material (flowers, for the most part) becomes available for these plants, they will be authoritatively identified by taxonomists at the Goeldi Museum in Belém, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. These inventories will be incorporated in a database for estimating parameters such as forest structure, dynamics and diversity. While the collection and identification of botanical material is underway, the next steps will be placing dendrometric bands on target trees, to measure their growth in girth, and the inventory of smaller, understory plants in the permanent forest plots.