Mutual influence of forests and pastures on the seedbanks in the Eastern Amazon

The objective of this study was to compare the floristic composition and species diversity existing in the seedbanks of forests and pastures. The seedbanks were sampled in three forest and three pastures areas in a community of smallholder farmers, in Pará state, Brazil. Seedling emergence in a glasshouse was used to quantify and identify the seeds. The total densities and diversity of the seedbanks were not significantly different among the pastures and forests, but the floristic composition was different. The herbaceous species predominated in both the pastures and the forests, but in the forest the abundance of shrub and tree was higher than herb. The seed density of several pioneer woody species was higher in the forests and the density of several herbaceous species was greater in the pastures. The influence of the forest species on the pastures and of the pastures species on the forests is a result of the initial process of human occupation and illustrates a dynamic that can lead to both the conservation of forest species and the spread of weed species. Actions should be carried out to avoid disturbance in the forests and improve biodiversity preservation in rural areas.