@article{fdi:010090694,
  title = {{E}verything's not lost : caatinga areas under chronic disturbances still have well-preserved plant communities},
  author = {{M}ac{\^e}do, {M}. {S}. and {M}enezes, {B}. {S}. and {L}edru, {M}arie-{P}ierre and {M}as, {J}. {F}. and {S}ilva, {F}. {K}. {G}. and {C}arvalho, {C}. {E}. and {C}osta, {R}. {C}. and {Z}andavalli, {R}. {B}. and {S}oares, {A}. {A}. and {A}raújo, {F}. {S}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he caatinga, a thorny deciduous shrub -arboreal vegetation predominant in the semiarid {N}ortheast {B}razil region, has faced chronic anthropogenic disturbance since the arrival of {E}uropeans. {A}reas experiencing strong anthropogenic pressure and climatic vulnerability are often overlooked in floristic and phytosociological studies, leading to limited knowledge about their biological potential. {T}hus, our objective was to assess the current vegetation state in three severely degraded nuclei undergoing desertification in {C}eara and determine, based on the analysis of plant diversity (richness) and structure, if there is potential for natural regeneration. {W}e sampled 36 plots (3.24 ha), measuring trees and shrubs with a diameter at ground level ({DGL}) >= 3 cm. {T}he vegetation was stratified into three degradation levels: open, intermediate, and closed. {T}he open level, most impacted by human activities, exhibited reduced plant richness, density, biomass, and height compared to other levels. {I}n contrast, the intermediate and closed covers, prevalent in the study area, showed no significant differences from each other or from caatinga areas outside the desertification nuclei. {W}e concluded that even severely degraded areas should possess high biological potential due to the presence of preserved remnants serving as reservoirs to maintain diversity and vegetation structure in the region.},
  keywords = {{C}hronic disturbances ; {D}esertification ; {L}and -cover mapping ; {P}hytosociology ; {S}pecies richness ; {V}egetation structure ; {BRESIL} ; {ZONE} {ARIDE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {A}rid {E}nvironments},
  volume = {222},
  numero = {},
  pages = {105164 [9 p.]},
  ISSN = {0140-1963},
  year = {2024},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105164},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010090694},
}