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This study aimed to characterize the dynamics, structural changes and floristics of a Northern Minas Gerais Seasonally Deciduous Forest tree community, in a 5 year interval. In 2005, 10 (20 x 20m) plots were allocated. All trees (CBH ≥ 10 cm) were tagged and measured. A second census was carried out in 2010 in order to measure surviving, new recruits and dead trees. In 2005, 46 species were recorded, moving to 45 in 2010. No significant differences were found for Shannon - diversity (H’ = 2.62 nats ind-1 in 2005; H’ = 2.60 nats ind-1 in 2010) and Pielou eveness (J = 0.683 in 2005; J = 0.682 in 2010) in the interval. A total of 57 dead records (rate of 1.64% year-1) were found whereas 18 trees were recruited (rate of 0.53% year-1). Despite the higher mortality as compared to recruitment, the results suggest that the community remained stable in both structural and diversity terms in the interval considered.

The knowledge about the influence of habitat variables is essential to understand the underlying ecological patterns in vegetation. This study compared the floristic composition of two forest communities located in different altitudes. Associated with this comparison, we used a methodology where habitat descriptor variables were scaled and interpreted by the biotic set sampled. We constructed one matrix with scores given to physical, biotic, vegetation, and anthropogenic variables in the field and one matrix with the species sampled and performed multivariate analyses. We found that the floristic communities differ between the different altitudes and that the methodology used showed significant variables for the ecological characterization of the sampled habitat. RESUMO O conhecimento sobre a influência das variáveis ambientais é essencial para que se compreenda os padrões ecológicos atuantes sobre a vegetação. Este trabalho comparou a composição florística de duas comunidades florestais localizadas em diferentes altitudes. Associada a essa comparação, foi utilizada uma metodologia onde variáveis descritoras do ambiente foram escalonadas e interpretadas junto ao conjunto biótico amostrado. Através de uma matriz, com a pontuação dada em campo para variáveis físicas, bióticas, da estrutura da vegetação e de antropização, e de outra, contendo as espécies amostradas, análises multivariadas foram utilizadas. Constatou-se que as comunidades diferem floristicamente entre as diferentes altitudes e que a metodologia utilizada indicou variáveis importantes para a caracterização ecológica dos ambientes amostrados.