Reconhecimento de espécies comerciais madeireiras na Amazônia Brasileira: um estudo de caso em área de manejo florestal e propostas para reduzir erros taxonômicos

Abstract

The correct recognition and identification of species is essential to ensure the quality of forest inventories, the commercialization of timber, and the sustainability of forest management. This study evaluated the accuracy of scientific names associated with trees of commercial species in two Forest Management Units of the Mamuru-Arapiuns State Gleba, in the state of Pará, Brazil. Botanical samples were collected from 302 trees associated with 42 vernacular names, subsequently identified by specialists and compared to identifications made during the forest inventory. Agreement was assessed using the percentage of correct identifications and Cohen's Kappa coefficient at the family, genus, and species levels. Spatial distribution maps were also created for the three most representative genera (Dipteryx, Handroanthus, and Hymenaea), comparing the species composition before and after scientific identification. Accuracy was 92.4% for family, 71.9% for genus, and 39.1% for species, showing a reduction in precision as taxonomic detail increases. The main errors occurred between species of the same genus, especially in Handroanthus, Hymenolobium, Dipteryx, and Hymenaea, due to high morphological similarity and the predominant use of trunk characteristics for identification during the inventory. Scientific determination has revealed significant changes in the composition and distribution of species associated with vernacular names, demonstrating that recognition errors can compromise estimates of richness, diversity, and forest exploitation planning. To reduce these inconsistencies, actions are proposed aimed at training field teams, producing support materials, strengthening partnerships with research institutions, and using complementary botanical identification tools.