Crescimento da Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze diferenciado por dioicia

Abstract

This study was conducted at São Francisco de Paula National Forest, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze implanted stands, aiming to study the growth periodicity from male and female trees having 40 and 60 years and to correlate this growth with meteorological, morphometric and environmental variables. The growth behavior was obtained through a biweekly inspection based on the diametric tapes positioned at diameter at breast height in 96 trees, evaluated from August 2003 to August 2006. The results allowed to conclude that the beginning of the annual growth happens in September, having its peak in January, starting to decrease since March, being influenced by the competition conditions, vitality and canopy area, not having statistical difference of trees growth between male and female trees, even so it is verified a tendency that female trees develop more than male trees. The meteorological variables, like temperature and precipitation, are directly correlated with the increment. The temperature and precipitation increase influences positively in increment. The precipitation occurrence followed by low temperatures reduces the growth. There was no inclination level difference for increment curves in male and female trees for basal area, allowing to use a unique model to describe the trees growth.