Efeitos da degradação do Cerrado na produção de frutos, aborto e predação de sementes do pequizeiro (Caryocar brasiliense) no norte de Minas Gerais

Abstract

Introduction: The Brazilian Cerrado has undergone an intense change in land use and cover. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how this change affects its species, as is the case of Caryocar brasiliense. Objective: To verify whether the effects of the transformation of the Cerrado, preserved in a degraded environment, affect the production and quality of C. brasiliense fruits in the north of Minas Gerais. Method: The study was conducted in these two Cerrado environments and in each area, the diameter of the breast, basal area and height of the C. brasiliense were measured. The fruits were collected, weighed and opened to count viable and aborted seeds. The seeds were also weighed and the aborted ones, the percentage was calculated, the same occurred for preyed fruits. Results: In total, 1,723 fruits were opened and 5,025 seeds were evaluated. The weight of fruits, seeds and their quantity was greater in degraded environments. The proportion of aborted seeds and preyed fruits did not differ between environments. Finally, height and basal area were also greater in degraded environments. Conclusion: The importance of comparative studies between different areas to understand how human actions affect the environment and consequently the production of fruits of this species.