Phytosociological Analysis and Importance Value in Terms of Carbon in a Seasonal Semideciduous Forest

ABSTRACT Few studies in the Atlantic Forest have related phytosociology with carbon storage. The objective of this study was to characterize the vegetation structure and relate it with the importance value index (IVI) in terms of carbon for a semideciduous forest in Viçosa-MG. Besides the IVI, the diversity and phytosociology were investigated. The species Piptadenia gonoacantha, Mabea fistulifera, Anadenanthera peregrina stood out regarding the IVI index. The order of importance of the species changed when analyzing the Importance Value, the Importance Value on Volume and IVI. Thus, depending on the management objectives, species had different importance. Finally, it was evident that the IVI in terms of carbon, a measure that joins phytosociological and carbon storage information, is very important for the characterization of forests and for mitigating greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere.