Pteridophytes used in legislation as indicators of successional stages in Santa Catarina State, Brazil

ABSTRACT In the State of Santa Catarina, three resolutions of the Environment National Council (CONAMA) characterize the successional stages of plant formations for environmental licensing: 04/1994 (forests), 261/1999 (restinga), and 423/2010 (high altitude grasslands), showing indicator taxa, including pteridophytes. We evaluated the quality of indication of the 14 pteridophytes adopted as indicators of successional stages in these resolutions (six species in 261/1999, nine in 423/2010, and one in 04/1994) and discussed possible indicator species in six genera cited in 261/1999. We created two sets of criteria and, from Herbarium specimens and bibliographic review, applied these criteria to each evaluated species. We considered most species in resolution 261/1999 as a good indicator, as well as five other species (Lomariocycas schomburgkii, Neoblechnum brasiliense, Pleopeltis hirsutissima, Pleopeltis pleopeltifolia, and Serpocaulon latipes). On resolution 423/2010, only Lomariocycas schomburgkii and Pteridium esculentum were considered good indicators, being the last species also good for the early successional stage of forests. Revisions should be made in these resolutions in order to make them more appropriate, mainly incorporating more species to the resolution of forests.