Natural regeneration in a quaternary coastal plain in southern Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest

Composition, structure and dynamics of an eight year old secondary forest was studied at Reserva Volta Velha (26 degrees 04 degreesS; 48 degrees 38'W), southern Brazil. A 0.72ha plot was divided into 36 subplots of 20X10m, where all trees/shrubs greater than Im tall were identified, measured (height/diameter) and evaluated (successional status). The results were: (1) 95 species collected within 68 genera and 44 families; the most species rich families were Myrtaceae and Asteraceae with 8 species each; (2) the most important species (considering biomass and density) were Psidium cattleianum, Eupatorium casarettoi, Ocotea pulchella and Ternstroemia brasiliensis; (3) the most similar area was a fallow abandoned 35 years ago; (4) the higher species diversity were found in border subplots, indicating that most of the species do not tolerate extreme conditions in the center of the opening, and are colonizing the area through the borders.