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Modelo de monitorização da regulação dos ecossistemas de montanha como instrumento de apoio à gestão sustentavél da floresta : o caso particular das Bacias de Cabeceira
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| Resumo, Índice, Introdução | 507.49 KB | Adobe PDF | ||
| Documento Principal | 18.02 MB | Adobe PDF |
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Abstract(s)
No sentido de promover a dinamização e a proteção do património florestal, foi implementado pelo Governo dos Açores a certificação de um sistema de gestão dos Perímetros Florestais e Matas Regionais, com vista a garantir uma utilização sustentável dos recursos. Esta certificação encontra-se de acordo com os padrões do FSC® – Forest Stewardship Council®, nomeadamente, com adoção das 6 notáveis categorias incluídas no conceito Alto Valor de Conservação, compreendendo uma vasta quantidade de aspetos como, a biodiversidade, os serviços fornecidos pelos ecossistemas e os valores socioculturais. O setor florestal através desta estratégia pretende, por um lado, reforçar o incremento da produtividade dos solos e, simultaneamente, aumentar a reflorestação e a reabilitação dos ecossistemas naturais, prioridades essenciais, particularmente, pela necessidade existente de assegurar o papel regulador da floresta. Sendo assim, a Direção Regional dos Recursos Florestais idealiza um modelo de ordenamento que tem como fim adequar o uso do solo às capacidades e constrangimentos de cada estação. O tipo de povoamento florestal será alterado de forma gradual, através do estabelecimento de um conjunto de bosques e corredores ecológicos, com recurso à implementação de espécies vegetais endémicas e nativas, cuja principal função é a proteção do solo, dos recursos hídricos e a promoção da biodiversidade.
Assim, este estudo tem como principal objetivo, a elaboração de um modelo de monitorização da regulação ecológica promovida pelos ecossistemas das zonas montanhosas dos Açores, como instrumento de apoio à gestão sustentável da floresta, particularmente, com recurso à análise e estabelecimento de indicadores estruturais e funções de regulação, tomando como referência o coberto vegetal típico das bacias de cabeceira mais naturais.
Foram selecionadas um conjunto de 5 bacias de cabeceira com ocorrência no interior do perímetro florestal de São Miguel e da ilha Terceira. As bacias da ilha Terceira, consideradas como de referência, foram as que demonstram níveis de naturalidade superiores, comparativamente, às cabeceiras de São Miguel que se demonstraram caracteristicamente mais perturbadas.
A análise multivariada para a classificação de grupos (Cluster), com recurso a dados resultantes da avaliação estratificada da cobertura vegetal, foi capaz de revelar a existência de dois grupos uniformemente separados, mostrando que existem diferenças significativas entre a estrutura da vegetação das bacias de referência e aquelas constituídas por estados de perturbação superiores. Em termos de indicadores ripários de sustentabilidade ecológica, as bacias de cabeceira de referência, são as que mais componentes estruturais ripícolas dispõem, sobretudo, quando comparadas com as bacias caraterizadas por níveis inferiores de naturalidade. Torna-se evidente que à medida que a naturalidade vai diminuído, a frequência destes indicadores vai-se tornando cada vez mais escassa, portanto, a ocorrência desses elementos ripários acaba, aparentemente, por refletir a presença de um gradiente que evolui em função do estado de conservação da cabeceira.
As bacias de cabeceira em melhor estado de conservação também são as que produzem maiores concentrações de espécies consideradas como altos valores de conservação (Categoria 1), nomeadamente, com valores de riqueza específica (Margalef) e diversidade (Shannon) florística superiores. No mesmo sentido, cabeceiras notoriamente mais naturais são as que congregam maior extensão de habitats protegidos pela Diretiva Habitats.
Através da determinação de indicadores relativos às funções de regulação ecológica exercidas (Categoria AVC 3), em particular, por meio de ensaios laboratoriais afetos a determinados comportamentos da água no substrato orgânico (altura do substrato; percentagem de MO total; capacidade de retenção de água intersticial e gravitacional; velocidade de percolação e capacidade temporal de retenção), foi possível desenvolver a noção de que as bacias de referência se destacam fortemente das cabeceiras mais perturbadas. Portanto, em termos médios, verifica-se que os sistemas em melhor estado de conservação são as desempenham melhor as funções de regulação.
Neste trabalho, são propostos 5 modelos de uma bacia padronizada de referência, como um meio para se alcançar o formato de ordenamento mais adequado à ocupação vegetal em sistemas florestais e, por conseguinte, torná-las mais eficientes num contexto de produção.
Em suma, é possível munir os gestores com indicadores viáveis e mensuráveis, de modo a que as decisões tomadas sejam as mais ajustadas às particularidades ecológicas de cada estação, quer na gestão das zonas mais naturais, como também, no manejo de sistemas culturais de produção. Assim, torna-se possível garantir a proteção dos elementos naturais e produtivos, nomeadamente, com recurso ao suporte ecológico fornecido pela estrutura da vegetação e, simultaneamente, pelos processos de regulação que se encontram baseados na atual realidade dos ecossistemas típicos das bacias de cabeceira mais naturais.
ABSTRACT: To promote the dynamization and protection of forest heritage, the Government of the Azores has implemented the certification of a management system for Forest Perimeters and Regional Forests, with the aim of guaranteeing a sustainable use of resources. This certification is in accordance with the standards of the FSC® - Forest Stewardship Council®, namely, with the adoption of the 6 notable categories included in the High Conservation Value concept, comprising a vast amount of aspects such as biodiversity, services provided by ecosystems and sociocultural values. The forestry sector through this strategy, aims, on one hand, to reinforce soil productivity and, at the same time, to increase the reforestation and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems, which are essential priorities due to the existing need to ensure the regulatory role of the forest. Thus, the Forestry Department devises a planning model whose purpose is to adapt land use to the capacities and constraints of each station. The type of forest stands will gradually be changed, through the establishment of a set of ecological woods and corridors, with the use of endemic and native plant species, whose main function is the protection of soil, water resources and promotion of biodiversity. The main objective of this study is the development of a model for monitoring the ecological regulation, promoted by the ecosystems of the Azores mountainous areas, as a tool to support sustainable forest management, particularly through the analysis and establishment of structural and environmental indicators, as well as regulating functions, taking as a reference the typical cover vegetation of the furthermost natural headwaters. A set consisting of five headwaters was selected, occurring within the forest perimeter of São Miguel and Terceira Island. The basins of Terceira Island, considered as reference, were those that show levels of superior naturalness, comparatively, to the headwaters of São Miguel that were characteristically more disturbed. The multivariate analysis for the classification of groups (Cluster), using data resulting from the stratified evaluation of the cover vegetation, was able to reveal the existence of two groups uniformly separated, showing that there are significant differences between the vegetation structure of the reference basins and those constituted by higher states of disturbance. In terms of riparian indicators of ecological sustainability, reference basins are the ones that have the most riparian structural components, especially when compared to the basins characterized by lower levels of naturalness. It becomes clear that as the naturalness decreases, the frequency of these indicators also becomes increasingly scarce, therefore, the occurrence of these riparian elements ends up reflecting the presence of a gradient that evolves as a function of the state of conservation from the headwater. The best-preserved headwaters are also those that produce higher concentrations of species considered as high conservation values (Category 1), namely, with values of specific richness (Margalef) and floristic diversity (Shannon) higher. In similar sense, the more notoriously natural headwaters are the ones with the largest extension of habitats protected by the Habitats Directive. By means of determining indicators related to ecological regulation functions (Category 3), particularly, through laboratory tests related to certain water behaviours on the organic substrate (substrate height, percentage of total MO, interstitial and gravitational water retention capacity, percolation velocity and temporal retention capacity), it was possible to develop the notion that reference basins stand out strongly from the most disturbed headwaters. Therefore, in average terms, it is verified that the systems in better state of conservation are the ones that better perform regulation functions. In this work, 5 models of a standardized basin of reference are proposed as a mean to reach the most adequate land-use format to the vegetation occupation in forest systems and, therefore, to make them more efficient in a production context. In short, it is possible to provide administrators with measurable and viable indicators, so that the decisions taken are the most appropriate to the ecological particularities of each station, both in the management of the most natural areas, as well as in the management of cultural production systems. Thus, it is possible to guarantee the protection of natural and productive elements, in particular, by means of the ecological support provided by the structure of the vegetation and, simultaneously, by the regulation processes that are based on the current reality of typical ecosystems of the most natural headwaters.
ABSTRACT: To promote the dynamization and protection of forest heritage, the Government of the Azores has implemented the certification of a management system for Forest Perimeters and Regional Forests, with the aim of guaranteeing a sustainable use of resources. This certification is in accordance with the standards of the FSC® - Forest Stewardship Council®, namely, with the adoption of the 6 notable categories included in the High Conservation Value concept, comprising a vast amount of aspects such as biodiversity, services provided by ecosystems and sociocultural values. The forestry sector through this strategy, aims, on one hand, to reinforce soil productivity and, at the same time, to increase the reforestation and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems, which are essential priorities due to the existing need to ensure the regulatory role of the forest. Thus, the Forestry Department devises a planning model whose purpose is to adapt land use to the capacities and constraints of each station. The type of forest stands will gradually be changed, through the establishment of a set of ecological woods and corridors, with the use of endemic and native plant species, whose main function is the protection of soil, water resources and promotion of biodiversity. The main objective of this study is the development of a model for monitoring the ecological regulation, promoted by the ecosystems of the Azores mountainous areas, as a tool to support sustainable forest management, particularly through the analysis and establishment of structural and environmental indicators, as well as regulating functions, taking as a reference the typical cover vegetation of the furthermost natural headwaters. A set consisting of five headwaters was selected, occurring within the forest perimeter of São Miguel and Terceira Island. The basins of Terceira Island, considered as reference, were those that show levels of superior naturalness, comparatively, to the headwaters of São Miguel that were characteristically more disturbed. The multivariate analysis for the classification of groups (Cluster), using data resulting from the stratified evaluation of the cover vegetation, was able to reveal the existence of two groups uniformly separated, showing that there are significant differences between the vegetation structure of the reference basins and those constituted by higher states of disturbance. In terms of riparian indicators of ecological sustainability, reference basins are the ones that have the most riparian structural components, especially when compared to the basins characterized by lower levels of naturalness. It becomes clear that as the naturalness decreases, the frequency of these indicators also becomes increasingly scarce, therefore, the occurrence of these riparian elements ends up reflecting the presence of a gradient that evolves as a function of the state of conservation from the headwater. The best-preserved headwaters are also those that produce higher concentrations of species considered as high conservation values (Category 1), namely, with values of specific richness (Margalef) and floristic diversity (Shannon) higher. In similar sense, the more notoriously natural headwaters are the ones with the largest extension of habitats protected by the Habitats Directive. By means of determining indicators related to ecological regulation functions (Category 3), particularly, through laboratory tests related to certain water behaviours on the organic substrate (substrate height, percentage of total MO, interstitial and gravitational water retention capacity, percolation velocity and temporal retention capacity), it was possible to develop the notion that reference basins stand out strongly from the most disturbed headwaters. Therefore, in average terms, it is verified that the systems in better state of conservation are the ones that better perform regulation functions. In this work, 5 models of a standardized basin of reference are proposed as a mean to reach the most adequate land-use format to the vegetation occupation in forest systems and, therefore, to make them more efficient in a production context. In short, it is possible to provide administrators with measurable and viable indicators, so that the decisions taken are the most appropriate to the ecological particularities of each station, both in the management of the most natural areas, as well as in the management of cultural production systems. Thus, it is possible to guarantee the protection of natural and productive elements, in particular, by means of the ecological support provided by the structure of the vegetation and, simultaneously, by the regulation processes that are based on the current reality of typical ecosystems of the most natural headwaters.
Description
Dissertação de Mestrado, Gestão e Conservação da Natureza, 11 abril de 2019, Universidade dos Açores.
Keywords
Bacia de Cabeceira Ecossistema de Montanha Floresta Património Florestal Açores Headwaters Azores
Citation
Ponte, Mauro José Zeferino. "Modelo de monitorização da regulação dos ecossistemas de montanha como instrumento de apoio à gestão sustentavél da floresta: o caso particular das Bacias de Cabeceira". 2019. 163 p.. (Dissertação de Mestrado em Gestão e Conservação da Natureza). Angra do Heroísmo: Universidade dos Açores, 2018. [Consult. Dia Mês Ano]. Disponível em www:<http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/5170>.