Banca de DEFESA: BIANCA LOBATO OLIVEIRA

LEAF ARCHITECTURE AS A TOOL FOR SPECIES RECOGNITION IN AREAS UNDER FOREST MANAGEMENT

botanical identification; leaf morphology, forest inventory

Species recognition is a weak point in forest inventories, the development of identification techniques that help in the correct distinction of species needs to be developed to fill this gap. In this study we demonstrate how leaf architecture can be used as an identification tool for forest inventories. We verified which common names have errors in association with scientific names within a forest management area. And which leaf morphological characteristics can be used to differentiate species grouped under the same common name. Ten common names associated with ten highly traded species constituted this study. Five presented disagreement in identification at the species level. Eleven species were grouped under these five common names. There was high agreement in determining individuals at the genus taxonomic level (k = 1; agreement = 100%) and moderate reliability at the species level (k = 0.592; agreement = 62%). The common names “ipê-amarelo” and “curupixá” achieved 0% agreement in association with scientific names. The genera Handroanthus, Micropholis, Hymenolobium and Astronium showed consistent errors in species recognition. Leaf characteristics such as the shape of the leaf, apex, base and venation pattern can be used in inventories to improve species identification. With this study, we seek to minimize botanical identification errors of species of great commercial value based on leaf architecture and contribute to the sustainability of forest management plans. It proposes that studies on leaf architecture be expanded to form a broader knowledge about the differences between species within problematic genera. We emphasize that only accurate identification will guarantee the sustainability of forest management.