This study aimed to evaluate the soil seed bank and accumulated litter in a restored forest through planting, aged 40, in Viçosa, MG. We allocated 16 contiguous plots of 25 x 25 m, covering the entire forest area (1 ha). In each plot, we collected five samples of surface soil (0.30 x 0.30 x 0.05 m) to evaluate the seed bank by germination method and a sample of 1.0 m² litter for evaluation of accumulated litter. We performed the classification of individuals and species of seedlings of the seed bank as for successional category, dispersion syndrome and life form. 5,555 seedlings were recorded, belonging to 32 families and 93 species and morphotype which grouped all the vines. We recorded the predominance of zoochoric dispersion syndrome and, as for life form, a higher percentage of herbs, at the species level (48.6%) and individuals (44.8%). Among the shrub-arboreal species, we observed a higher percentage of successional category pioneer, species level (75.1%) and individuals (85.1%). The accumulated litter average was of 3,432 kg ha-1, with the leaf fraction representing 65% and significant correlation with basal area (p = 0.031, R² = 0.29) of the tree stratum. The results indicate that the soil seed bank of forest restored after 40 years of its implementation is similar, as for ecological relations, to the areas of stational semidecidual forest in the same region and other restored areas that were also used for planting seedlings.
Forest restoration; Indicators of ecological restoration; Dispersal syndromes
