Plantas nativas e exóticas utilizadas na arborização do bairro Centro de Caxias-MA

Abstract

Studies on urban afforestation are important,asthey address a central issue regarding social well-being and maintenance of fauna and flora in urban centers. These issues are very present in the literature, where authors point out the importance of urban afforestation, given the impacts of climate change on cities. Despite this, studies that problematize urban vegetation are not frequent, in the case of Caxias-MA, there is a scarcity of them, in addition to social, environmental and professional factors, it is understood the need to carry out an analysis of tree species in the region. Therefore, this work aimed to carry out a survey of exotic and native species used in afforestation in the Centro neighborhood, municipality of Caxias – MA. The methodology was divided into three stages: fieldwork, analysis and identification and preparationof botanical material. For this purpose, the species used in afforestation were collected and identified through specialized bibliographies, virtual herbaria, identification keys and data from Flora and Funga do Brazil (2023). After identification, the species surveyed were classified as native and exotic and it was found that Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Nim), an exotic species, was the most common in the Centro neighborhood, both on public roads and in green areas, Native species are mostly found in squares and in low numbers on public roads. It was found that around 80.15% of the afforestation in the Centro neighborhood is made upof exotic species and only 19.85%are native. Only Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Nim) represents approximately 55.9% of the total number of specimens, while the most common natives belong to the Bignoniaceae family, Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart.ex DC.) Mattos (Ipê purple), Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) (Ipê pink) and Jacaranda brasiliana (Lam.) (rosewood), representing approximately 6% of the total afforestation.