In which extent loss of landscape connectivity and soil degradation restricts the efficiency of the forest restoration?

Abstract

This research aims to compare the progress of forest restoration projects with the same age and similar technique, however settled under different conditions of soil degradation and loss of connectivity. The main hypothesis is that there are critical thresholds for the success of the forest restoration related to those factors. 223 demonstrative forest restoration sites developed by the same governmental program will be studied, all from East of the Sao Paulo State, located in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Region, aged between 5 and 7 years. Initially, available data from those restoration sites will be submitted to exploratory data analysis, relating different environmental variables and a progress indicator; than at least 30 restoration sites will be characterized in detail by field measurements and satellite imagery analysis, promoting for each restoration site: 1- Diversity index for tree species, 2 - Aboveground biomass estimates, 3 - Soil fertility evaluation, and 4 - Connectivity Index. Those indicators will be statistically analyzed to investigate the existence of thresholds. We expect to propose adjustments on degradation diagnosis, which may lead to accuracy improvement for predicting restoration results, favoring landscape planning and management. (AU)