Abstract

ALVARADO ALVAREZ, Hipólito. Structural and floristic characterization of a riparian forest of the river basin of the tocuyo river (tocuyo occidental), Lara State, Venezuela. Ernstia [online]. 2010, vol.20, n.1, pp.1-20. ISSN 0252-8274.

Floristic and structural composition in a riverine forest were characterize in Los Quediches river, located in the western part of the basin of the Tocuyo river, Lara State, Venezuela. The ecology study of the community was made according to Gentry and all individuals with a DAP > 2,54 cm were sampled in a plot of 0,1 ha in the riparian forest. Of the Magnoliophyta 24 species were found, distributed in 21 genera and 16 families. The index of diversity of Shanon-Wiener (H’) was 2,13. The index of uniformity (E) was de 0,67. The structural characteristics of the vegetation showed a vertical structure composed of two estoreys and the emergents: The first storey varies from 4 to 8 m high; the second (canopy), is constituted of individuals of 9-14 m high, and the last a tree stratum of emergents with individuals between 20 and 30 m high. The predominant diameter class was found from 2,54 to 10 cm DAP, with 53,3% of the individuals sampled. The abundance of trees was 152 individuals/0,1ha, and the basal area was 4,29m2 /0,1 ha. The ecologically more important species of the riparian forest were: Protium heptaphyllum (Burseraceae), Parinari pachyphylla (Chrysobalanaceae), Pseudopiptadenia pittieri (Mimosaceae), Siparuna guianensis (Monimiaceae) and Hymenaea courbaril (Caesalpiniaceae).

Keywords : Riparian forest; florístic; diversity; structure; IVI; Venezuela.