Agrobiodiversity in cultivated areas with cocoa in Altamira-Para, Eastern Amazon

Abstract

The cultivation of cacao stands out as an option of diversification of crops in areas of family agriculture in Amazon, because it incorporates environmental and economic aspects into the production system. This study has the objective of characterize the floristic diversity present in cultivated areas with cacao in the Altamira, PA. The study was placed in the Assurini settlement project, in three areas cultivated with cacao in family farmers’. In each area were randomly installed three plots with dimension 10mx 25m (250 m²), totalizing 750 m² sampled by property in which were inventoried all woody and sub-woody individuals with diameter at breast height (DCH) ≥ 5 cm presented in the limits of each sample unit. In that area, it was carried out the floristic composition and estimated therichness and diversity. In the three areas were found 436 individuals, belonging to 81 species, comprising in 36botanic families. The families with the highest richness of species in the cacao crops were Fabaceae (9 spp.), Bignoniaceae and Urticaceae (5 spp.), Anacardiaceae, Annonaceae, Melastomataceae, Myrtaceae and Moraceae (4 spp.), Euphorbiaceae and Arecaceae (3 spp.). The average of the Shannon Diversity Index in the three areas of cocoa crop was 2.9 nats/ind., considered as satisfactory when compared with studies developed at cocoa crops. These species can be used of several ways and contribute in the family food security strategy, besides being used in the cocoa shading, contributing in the production increase and ecological sustainability.