QUANTIFICAÇÃO DE MATERIAL COMBUSTÍVEL SUPERFICIAL EM REFLORESTAMENTOS DE Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Ktze.

Surface fuels quantification on Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Ktze. plantations. This research was conducted in an Araucaria angustifolia plantation owned by "Florestal Gateados" company, located in "Campo Belo do Sul" county, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The main objectives of the study were to characterize the forest fuel accumulated in 5 stands of different class ages (8, 19, 24, 25 and 38 years old). A total of 100 plots, proportionally distributed among the 5 stands were established, with a minimum sampling intensity of 4 plots per hectare, and an average of 20 plots per age class. In each plot, the basal area, the mean understory vegetation height, the live and dead fuel weights by size class were measured. Results showed that the total fuel loading measured in the 5 stands were 20.13; 10.76; 15.84; 14.81 and 13.24 Mg.ha-¹ for the 8, 19, 24, 25 and 38 years old plantations, respectively. Except for the 8 year old stand, the rate between dead and live fuel loading was approximately 9:1. Miscellaneous (38.6%) and "araucaria" leaves and twigs (30.46%) were the fuel classes with higher contribution to the total fuel loading.