Aspectos de ecologia de paisagem e amea?as à biodiversidade em uma unidade de conserva??o na Caatinga, em Sergipe

摘要

The creation of protected areas is not always determined by technical and/or environmental criteria, thereby undermining their effectiveness in protecting local biodiversity. The aim of this study was to check the potentiality of the protected area named Monumento Natural Grota do Angico, in the state of Sergipe, for aspects of landscape and to point possible threats, in order to support conservation strategies for maintaining biodiversity in this protected area. A protocol for the evaluation of priority fragments for conservation has been adapted. The indicators were derived from studies carried out on site and a survey of invasive alien plant species conducted in an area of 251 ha. Then, the circularity index was calculated for the Monument. The values obtained by the protocol were considered typical for areas with low risks to conservation. The landscape structure of the MONA Grota do Angico proved to be unsatisfactory for the maintenance of a large species diversity, being small as compared to other areas and elongated, showing a circularity index of only 0.17 (on scale of 0 to 1). However, the preserve protects part of the S?o Francisco River Valley and connects with two local protected areas that are part of an important regional ecological corridor. Some threats found, such as wildfires, deforestation, invasive alien species and cattle, demand monitoring. We conclude that in general the MONA Grota do Angico shows conditions to house considerable biodiversity, since threats are monitored and managed.