REGENERAÇÃO NATURAL EM UMA ÁREA DE VEGETAÇÃO DE CAATINGA MANEJADA NA REGIÃO DE UPANEMA/RN

Natural regeneration is essential for the conservation and evolution of species in ecosystems, and it is essential to study this process in managed areas to understand the effects of forestry exploitation. In this sense, this study evaluated the floristic composition and phytosociological structure of the regenerating component in a managed Caatinga area, five years after the first cut, in the municipality of Upanema, RN. Data were collected in the first Annual Production Unit (UPA) of the Forest Management Plan, with 10 sampling units of 25m2 (5m x 5m) to evaluate the regenerative component. The species found were identified in the field by dendromorphological characteristics, and then taxonomic confirmation was carried out in the herbarium. The phytosociological parameters evaluated were: Absolute and relative frequency, Absolute and relative density and Natural regeneration per species as well as the Shannon-Weaver diversity indices and Pielou's evenness. The species Manihot glaziovi, Croton blanchetianus and Bauhinia forficata stood out as the most representative and with high rates of natural regeneration. The regenerative component appears in the initial phase of secondary succession, with satisfactory development due to sustainable forest management. The results demonstrate compatible patterns of diversity (H'=1.35), distribution (J=0.61) and natural regeneration in Caatinga areas.