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Table 1 Site characteristics of the different native tropical forest fragments of different ages studied in northeastern Brazil

From: Contributions of Leguminosae to young and old stands of neotropical forests under different environmental conditions

Vegetation type (municipality)

Altitude (m.a.s.l.)

Rainfall (mm)

Temperature (°C)

Soil type, fertility

Age

Coordinates

Previous use history

Humid coastal, evergreen (Igarassu)

20–115

1687

24.9

Argisol, deep, medium

20

7° 47′ 53.6″ S 35° 02′ 25.6″ W

Sugarcane followed by pasture.

>40

7° 42′ 51.7″ S 34° 59′ 35.4″ W

Unknown; already forested 40 years ago

Sub-humid, high fertility, deciduous (Caruaru)

561

764

21.7

Argisol, shallow, high

21

08° 13′ 54″ S 35° 55′ 13″ W

Caatinga clear-cut; Opuntia fícus indica Mill planted and abandoned

>50

08° 13′ 47″ S 35° 55′ 09″ W

Unknown; no use for at least 50 years

Sub-humid, low fertility, deciduous (São João)

716

885

21.1

Regolithic Neosol, deep, low

10

08° 48′ 40.34″ S 36° 24′ 3.75″ W

Corn and beans crops in itinerant agriculture

>50

08° 52′ 32″ S 36° 22′ 00″ W

Unknown; no use for at least 50 years

Humid montane, evergreen (Triunfo)

1028

1250

18–22.5

Cambisol, shallow, high

20

7° 50′ 32″ S 38° 07′ 15″ W

Corn and bean crops in itinerant agriculture

>80

7° 51′ 51.7″ S 38° 07′ 49.4″ W

Unknown; forest for at least 80 years, with selective cutting of trees 30 years ago

Semi-arid, high fertility, deciduous (Serra Talhada)

500

686

26

Luvisol, shallow, high

15

7° 54′ 24″ S 38° 18′ 02″ W

Caatinga opened to be used as native pasture

>50

7° 53′ 49.9″ S 38° 18′ 14.7″ W

Selective cutting of plants 30 years ago

Semi-arid, low fertility, deciduous (Araripe)

867

700

24–26

Latosol, deep, low

18

7° 20′ 05.6″ S 40° 03′ 33.2″ W

Cassava crops in itinerant agriculture

>40

7° 19′ 25.5″ S 40° 05′ 00.1″ W

Cassava crops in itinerant agriculture