Protocol for quick assessment of the conservation status of a riparian forest at Sirinhaém river (Pernambuco state, Brazil)

Abstract

The riparian forests that cover the banks of the rivers, tributaries and sub-tributaries, play important roles in maintaining the equilibrium of riparian ecosystems. In the Zona da Mata in the state of Pernambuco these ecosystems were replaced since the installation of the first sugarcane plantations in the beginning of the fifteenth century, however, only at the beginning of the 21st century did the first initiatives of restoration of these riparian zones took place. In this scenario, with the help of a Rapid River Assessment Protocol (RAP), the conservation status of the riparian zone of an 8-km stretch of the Sirinhaém River on the lands of a sugar-alcohol plant in the municipality of Sirinhaém, Pernambuco, was investigated. The results of the RAP pointed out that along both banks of the analyzed section, 7 sub sections were found impacted, 8 possibly altered and only 5 considered natural. The Sub sections that were negatively evaluated reflect the intense economic activity present at the site, such as sugar cane activity and sand extraction. From the ecological point of view, it was observed that Inga edulis, Montrichardia linifera and Mimosa bimucronata provide important ecosystem services to the riparian zone, thus contributing positively to the results of the evaluation of some Sub sections. Therefore, in capturing the positive and negative impacts of the banks of the stream, it is understood that the protocol used has proved to be an important tool in the environmental management of riparian zones.