Sustainability Assessment of Araucaria Forest Remnants in Southern Brazil: Insights from Traditional Forest Inventory Surveys

André Felipe Hess, Laryssa Demétrio, Alex Nascimento de Sousa, Emanuel Arnoni Costa, Veraldo Liesenberg, Leonardo Josoé Biffi, César Augusto Guimarães Finger, Geedre Adriano Borsoi, Thiago Floriani Stepka, José Guilherme Raitz de Lima Ransoni, Elton Ivo Moura da Silva, Maria Beatriz Ferreira and Polyanna da Conceição Bispo ()
Additional contact information
André Felipe Hess: Department of Forest Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
Laryssa Demétrio: Department of Forest Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
Alex Nascimento de Sousa: Department of Forest Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
Emanuel Arnoni Costa: Department of Forest Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
Veraldo Liesenberg: Department of Forest Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
Leonardo Josoé Biffi: Department of Environmental Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
César Augusto Guimarães Finger: Graduate Program in Forest Engineering, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
Geedre Adriano Borsoi: Department of Forest Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
Thiago Floriani Stepka: Department of Forest Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
José Guilherme Raitz de Lima Ransoni: Department of Forest Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
Elton Ivo Moura da Silva: Department of Forest Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages 88520-000, SC, Brazil
Maria Beatriz Ferreira: Graduate Program in Forest Engineering, Federal University Rural of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife 52171-900, PE, Brazil
Polyanna da Conceição Bispo: Department of Geography, School of Environment, Education and Development, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: Precise estimates of dendrometric and morphometric variables are indispensable for effective forest resource conservation and sustainable utilization. This study focuses on modeling the relationships between shape (morphometric), dimension (dendrometric) and density (N) to assess the sustainability of forest resources. It sheds light on the current state of site characteristics, reproduction, and the structure of Araucaria angustifolia trees at selected forest remnants across multiple sites in Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. Individual trees and their dendrometric variables, such as the diameter at breast height (d), height (h), crown base height (cbh), annual periodic increment (API) in growth rings, and morphometric variables, including four radii of the crown in cardinal directions, were evaluated. These measurements allowed us to calculate various morphometric indices and crown efficiency, enabling the assessment of both vertical and horizontal structural conditions. Statistical analysis confirmed a positive relationship of the crown volume (cv) and crown surface area (csa) with the crown length (cl). Conversely, the crown efficiency, density, increment rate, and reproductive structure production declined. These morphometric relationships emphasize the complex dynamics within these forest ecosystems, irrespective of the chosen site, indicating that horizontal and vertical forest structures have stagnated and have been characterized by limited change in the last ten years. Such results raise concerns about sustainability, highlighting the need for proper conservation measures and sustainable forest management practices. Our findings underscore the need for substantial adjustments in the structure and dynamics of the forest, particularly on selected rural properties where this tree species is abundant, to ensure long-term sustainability.

Keywords: forest conservation; sustainability variables; forest structure; diversity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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