Traços funcionais e estratos verticais na arborização de uma praça de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais

Abstract

Practices that structurally plan urban afforestation and select species considering leaf functional attributes as a function of location, movement of people and climatic conditions are scarce. The objective was to characterize the canopy leaf density, leaf deciduity, vertical stratification and afforestation density of Praça Doutor João Alves, in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais. All individuals in the community with a Diameter at Chest Height ≥ 10 cm were sampled. The species were classified according to the canopy leaf density (medium, thin and dense) and leaf deciduity (deciduous, sub-deciduous, and evergreen). For the community, the presence of vertical stratification was verified, and categorized according to density (4 classes) and disposition of individuals (6 classes). 53 individuals were sampled, distributed in 22 species and 13 families. In the square, there is a predominance of species with canopy foliage density ranging from medium to dense (18 sp.), and a greater number of sub-deciduous species (8 sp.). There are three well-defined strata. The general grouping profile varies from rarefied to dense and the arrangement between diffuse, intersecting and agglomerated. The results can support the selection of species to compose the afforestation plan of Montes Claros and neighboring cities.