Analysis of the adequacy of landscape composition to the semi-arid of squares in Montes

Claros

Luana Rocha Gonçalves1; Elka Fabiana Aparecida Almeida*2; Márcia de Nazaré Oliveira Ribeiro3; Nara

Vanessa Fraga Xavier4; Rúbia Santos Fonseca5

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2022.40530

Abstract

Public green areas such as squares, especially in semi-arid regions, should be planned with the choice of more resistant

species that require less labor and water for irrigation. This study is aimed at analyzing the suitability of three public

squares of Montes Claros to local climatic conditions and the potential for the introduction of sustainable gardens in

this municipality. Three squares of Montes Claros, Southeastern Brazil, whose biome is the Cerrado, were evaluated

in terms of the total number of individuals (trees, palms, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants) and analyzed accor-

ding to the literature regarding their classification in relation to origin (exotic or native), drought tolerance, and the

benefits they bring to fauna. Among the squares studied, it was observed that Duque de Caxias was the one with the

highest percentage of drought-tolerant plants and that bring benefits to the fauna proportionally to the total number

of plants. This square was also the one with the highest percentage of native plants (25.93%), however this value

is still low for the edaphoclimatic conditions of the region, which, due to the scarcity of water, requires a greater

number of drought-tolerant native plants. It is concluded that the studied squares have many exotic plants that are

demanding in maintenance and therefore there is a need for their gradual replacement in sustainable landscaping

projects, especially with the use of a greater number of native species suitable for semi-arid conditions.

Keywords: Afforestation. Gardens. Native plants. Sustainability.Urban environment.

Análise de adequação da composição paisagística ao semiárido de praças em Montes

Claros

Resumo

Áreas verdes públicas como praças, principalmente em regiões semiáridas devem ser planejadas com a escolha de

espécies mais resistentes e que exijam menos mão de obra e água para irrigação. O objetivo desse trabalho foi analisar

a adequação de três praças públicas de Montes Claros às condições climáticas locais e o potencial para a inserção de

jardins sustentáveis nesse município. Três praças de Montes Claros, Sudeste do Brasil, cujo bioma é o Cerrado, foram

avaliadas quanto ao número total de indivíduos (árvores, palmeiras, arbustos, trepadeiras e plantas herbáceas) e

analisadas de acordo com a literatura quanto a sua classificação em relação à origem (exótica ou nativa), tolerância

à seca e aos benefícios que trazem à fauna. Dentre as praças estudadas, observou-se que a Duque de Caxias foi a que

apresentou maior porcentagem de plantas tolerantes à seca e que trazem benefícios à fauna proporcionalmente ao

Engenheira Agrônoma Autônoma. Uberaba, MG, Brasil.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6484-6492

2Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias. Montes Claros, MG, Brasil.

https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-0800-8379.

3Hostos Community College, CUNY, Natural Sciences Department, Bronx, New York, USA.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2429-5806

Engenheira Agrônoma Autônoma, Montes Claros, MG, Brasil.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9049-4272

5Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias. Montes Claros, MG, Brasil.

https://orcid.org/ 0000-0001-7257-874X

*Autor para correspondente: elkaflori@hotmail.com

Recebido para publicação em 29 de julho 2022. Aceito para publicação em 07 de setembro de 2022

e-ISSN: 2447-6218 / ISSN: 2447-6218. Atribuição CC BY.

CADERNO DE CIÊNCIAS AGRÁRIAS

Agrarian Sciences Journal

Gonçalves, L. R. et al.

Cad. Ciênc. Agrá., v. 14, p. 01–08, DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2022.40530

número total de plantas. Essa praça também foi a que apresentou maior porcentagem de plantas nativas (25,93%),

entretanto esse valor ainda é baixo para as condições edafoclimáticas da região, que devido à escassez de água, requer

maior número de plantas nativas tolerantes à seca. Conclui-se que as praças estudadas apresentam grande número

de plantas exóticas e exigentes em manutenção e por isso há necessidade da substituição gradual das mesmas em

projetos paisagísticos sustentáveis, principalmente com o uso de maior número de espécies nativas adequadas às

condições semi-áridas.

Palavras-chave: Arborização. Jardins. Nativas. Sustentabilidade. Ambiente urbano.

Introduction

Green areas are an important factor in people’s

quality of life, as it provides well-being for residents,

restores mental fatigue, reduces stress, and causes posi-

tive changes in mood and self-esteem. They reduce the

harmful effects of over-urbanization and heat islands,

promote people’s contact with nature, offer leisure to the

population and favors social interaction among those who

frequent the environment, especially the elderly (Ama-

to-Lourenço et al., 2016; Boldrin et al., 2016; Martelli,

2016; Person et al., 2019). It also contributes to urban

drainage actions, improving the microclimate, reducing

the daylight, and providing shelter and food to avifauna

(Sabadini, 2017; Alves et al., 2018; Jin et al., 2021).

One of the main structures that comprise the

green areas are the squares, as a result, municipalities

must be provided with careful and detailed plans for the

implementation and maintenance of this green areas.

Thus, it is important that studies be conducted of their

characterization and distribution in space, so that urban

planning can be performed efficiently (Bento et al., 2018).

The garden designs must be well-planned thought and

implemented considering the local characteristics and

population, the infrastructure and the species that will

make up, with their different sizes, textures, shapes, and

colors (Paiva et al., 2008). In addition to the aesthetic

issue, it is necessary to study the plant’s role in the urban

ecosystem, its interactions and benefits, and prioritize

species adapted to the region, especially native plants.

As the technological advance and the exploitation

of natural resources cause the degradation of formerly

balanced bio systems, society is led to live with unsustai-

nable environments and threatened ecosystems (Paula et

al., 2017). To counterbalance this problem, sustainable

development arises, combining in a harmonious way

the progress of cities and environmental conservation

(Bento et al., 2018). Thus, the optimization of water

use constitutes one of the main factors to be taken into

consideration.

Due to the current water crisis, it is becoming

urgent that irrigation projects and other forms of water

use be structured and tailored to the climatic conditions

of each region, such as the implementation of carefully

planned green areas to reduce the impacts to the environ-

ment and the population. As a result, studies focused on

landscape projects using species adapted to drought and

that allow the constitution of an environment with fresh-

ness and increase of biodiversity are of great importance.

From this perspective, this study is aimed at analyzing

the suitability of three public squares of Montes Claros

to local climatic conditions and the potential for the

introduction of sustainable gardens in this municipality.

Material and Methods

The methodology of the study was exploratory

and descriptive, and the research was carried out in Mon-

tes Claros, Minas Gerais (latitude 16º40’59.7’’S, longitude

43º50’21.9’’ W, altitude 680 m). According to the Köppen

climate classification (Alvares et al., 2013) it is an area

with a dry tropical climate; with annual precipitation

between 1000-1300 mm, with dry winter and average

temperature of 23.1 ºC. Montes Claros is located in the

Cerrado which is the second largest Brazilian biome,

constituting the richest tropical savanna in the world

(Brasil/MMA, 2020). The soils in the Cerrado areas are

characterized mainly by having high acidity and nutrient

deficiency, with the most common soils being oxisols,

present in 46% of the area (Ribeiro and Walter, 1998).

Three squares of the city of Montes Claros: Duque

de Caxias Square, Flamarion Wanderley Square, and Ro-

tary Square were chosen for evaluation because of their

importance to the population. The squares were evaluated

regarding the identification of species present, counting

all individuals of ornamental plants that composed the

landscape (tree, palm, shrub, climber plants and herba-

ceous species) and identifying pests and diseases observed

in the species. The Microsoft Excel 2013 software was

used to calculate the analyses of abundance and abso-

lute frequency of species (Felfili et al., 2011), calculate

the percentage of species native to the Cerrado (Flora

do Brasil, 2020; Reflora, 2020) and attractive to fauna,

as well as the classification of drought-tolerant species

following the description of the literature (Lorenzi, 2002;

Lorenzi et al., 2003; Lorenzi, 2008; Lorenzi et al., 2010).

The quantity and physical state of structural elements in

each square were also observed.

Through descriptive statistics it was possible to

evaluate the occurrence of species in percentage and de-

termine the benefits and possible damage that may arise

Analysis of the adequacy of landscape composition to the semi-arid of squares in Montes Claros

Cad. Ciênc. Agrá., v. 14, p. 01–08, DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2022.40530

with the distribution and quantity of species introduced in

the environment, maintenance conditions of the squares

and their potential for the incorporation of sustainable

gardens in the municipality.

Results and Discussion

Duque de Caxias Square

The Duque de Caxias Square has an approximate

area of 3,457 mZ, is paved with straight paths (Figure 1

and 2) and a total of 54 individuals distributed among

14 botanical families, composing a total of 22 species.

Among these, the one with the highest frequency is the

amendoeira which corresponds to 14.81% of the total spe-

cies, followed by hibisco, flamboyant and palmeira real,

each comprising 11.11%. The table 1 lists all the species

found in Duque de Caxias Square with their abundance,

absolute frequency, and tolerance to drought. The plants

that are highly tolerant to drought represent 63.63% of

the total number of species found in this square. Ideally,

most species planted should have this feature, for the

built environment to be sustainable and maintain its

beauty over time, with reduced maintenance needs.

Figure 1 – Duque de Caxias Square map, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil (Google Earth, 2021).

Figure 2 – Partial view of Duque de Caxias Square in the rainy season on the left and in the dry season on the right.

Images: Luana Rocha

The Duque de Caxias Square houses fruit species

such as araçá, pitangueira and romãzeira trees (Table 1)

that are attractive to fauna, benefiting them with their

fruits and the microclimate of the green space. Additio-

nally, these fruit species do not represent any danger,

because their fruits are small and light, and when fall,

they do not make the ground slippery. These species are

ideal in landscaping projects for promoting a pleasant

urban environment, bringing the pleasant presence of

birds, and increasing biological diversity (Lourenço and

Biagolini, 2018). However, the fruit species must be ca-

refully chosen to avoid the attraction of insects that can

cause inconvenience to passersby, such as wasps, and

should be established in specific locations so that accidents

do not occur, such as fruit falling in undesirable places

(CEMIG, 2011). In this case, the square has examples of

mangueira and goiabeira, which are not recommended

for urban afforestation.

On the landscaping characterization it was fou-

nd the use of deciduous species that reduce shading in

certain periods of the year, which is unfavorable for the

climatic conditions of northern Minas such as amendoei-

ra, paineira, flamboyant, aroeira-do-sertão and tamboril

(Santin and Leitão Filho, 1991; Lorenzi, 2002; Thomson

and Evans, 2006; Khongkaew et al., 2021). Although

Gonçalves, L. R. et al.

Cad. Ciênc. Agrá., v. 14, p. 01–08, DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2022.40530

the trees do not cause any cracks in the sidewalks, some

of them have exposed roots in the flowerbeds, which re-

presents risks for passersby. It was observed that in areas

of great movement species with succulent flowers, such

as paineira, were used, which may cause accidents by

making the floor slippery for the people who use the space.

Table 1 – Species found in Duque de Caxias Square, with their abundances (AB), corresponding absolute frequencies

(AF) and tolerance to drought

Survey of all species in Duque de Caxias Square

Common Name

Scientific Name

Botanical Family

Drought Tolerance

Hibisco

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Malvaceae

11.11%

Low

Goiabeira

Psidium guajava

Myrtaceae

3.70%

Average

Romanzeira

Punica granatum

Lythraceae

1.85%

Average

Assa peixe

Vernonia polyanthes

Asteraceae

1.85%

Average

Pitangueira

Eugenia uniflora

Myrtaceae

1.85%

Average

Flamboyant-de-

-jardim

Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Fabaceae

3.70%

High

Amendoeira

Terminalia catappa

Combretaceae

14.81%

High

Paineira

Ceiba speciosa

Malvaceae

7.41%

High

Flamboyant

Delonix regia

Fabaceae

11.11%

High

Oiti

Licania tomentosa

Chrysobalanaceae

7.41%

High

Tamboril

Enterolobium contortisili-

quum

Leguminosae

1.85%

Low

Mangueira

Mangifera indica

Anacardiaceae

1.85%

Average

Aroeira-do-sertão

Myracrodruon urundeuva

Anacardiaceae

1.85%

High

Mutamba

Guazuma ulmifolia Lam.

Malvaceae

1.85%

High

Araçá

Psidium cattleianum

Myrtaceae

3.70%

High

Algaroba

Prosopis juliflora

Malvaceae

1.85%

High

Iuca

Yucca guatemalensis

Agavaceae

1.85%

High

Sanquésia

Sanchezia oblonga

Acanthaceae

1.85%

High

Macaúba

Acrocomia aculeata

Arecaceae

3.70%

High

Palmeira real

Roystonea oleracea

Arecaceae

11.11%

High

Grama-batatais

Paspalum notatum

Poaceae

1.85%

High

Grama-esmeralda

Zoysia japonica

Poaceae

1.85%

Low

22 species

13 families

100%

Nine species native to the Cerrado were found,

spread over seven families. There is a variation in abso-

lute density with a maximum of 4 units for the paineira

species with a frequency of 28.57% and a minimum

absolute density of 1 unit for the other 6 species, which

comprise a frequency of 7.14% (Table 2). Contrary to

these results, Guilherme et al. (2018), identified that

Cerrado trees prevailed in the afforestation of four cities

in Mato Grosso do Sul and emphasize the importance of

choosing native species not only for the ecosystem, but

also to preserve the region’s identity.

When counting the absolute density of native

species found in the area and the absolute density of all

species found in the square, we found a percentage of

only 25.93% of native species, which may be one of the

reasons for the incidence of insects and diseases and the

greater need for water of some plants. Native species are

naturally more resistant to the attack of predatory insects,

more adapted to the local climate, and consequently less

prone to disease. The valuation of native flora over other

species brings the benefit of having a richer and healthier

Analysis of the adequacy of landscape composition to the semi-arid of squares in Montes Claros

Cad. Ciênc. Agrá., v. 14, p. 01–08, DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2022.40530

environment with low maintenance (Zanuncio Junior

et al., 2018).

Table 2 – Native Cerrado species found at Duque de Caxias Square with their abundance (AB) and respective absolute

frequencies (AF)

Survey of native species at Duque de Caxias Square

Common Name

Scientific Name

Botanical Family

Paineira

Ceiba speciosa

Malvaceae

28.57%

Tamboril

Enterolobium contortisiliquum

Leguminosae

7.14%

Aroeira-do-sertão

Myracrodruon urundeuva

Anacardiaceae

7.14%

Mutamba

Guazuma ulmifolia Lam.

Malvaceae

7.14%

Araçá

Psidium cattleianum

Myrtaceae

14.29%

Pitangueira

Eugenia uniflora

Myrtaceae

7.14%

Grama-batatais

Paspalum notatum

Poaceae

7.14%

Assa peixe

Vernonia polyanthes

Asteraceae

7.14%

Macaúba

Acrocomia aculeata

Arecaceae

14.29%

9 species

7 families

100%

The structural elements found in Duque de Caxias

Square were gym equipment’s (outdoor gym), an access

ramp for the disabled, benches and two lamp posts (Table

3).

Table 3 – Structural elements of Duque de Caxias Square with its quantity and state of conservation

Survey of structural elements at Duque de Caxias Square

Structural element

Quantity

Physical state

Benches

Good condition

Sculptures

Good condition

Lamp post

Good condition

Gym equipment’s

Good condition

Accessibility ramps

Good condition

Flamarion Wanderley Square

Flamarion Wanderley Square has an area of

approximately 10,881 mZ is paved with straight paths

(Figure 3 and 4) and a total of 112 individuals distributed

among 18 botanical families that make up a total of 27

species. Among these species, the one with the highest

frequency is sibipiruna, which corresponds to 26.79% of

the total observed, followed by resedá gigante and pal-

meira areca, comprising 14.29% and 11.61% respectively.

Table 4 lists all the species found in this square with their

abundance, absolute frequency, and drought tolerance.

Flamarion Wanderley Square is very rich in spe-

cies of different colors and textures. The flowers with

shades of red, pink, lilac and yellow make a beautiful

contrast with the different shades of green, adding ba-

lance to the landscape composition. Diversity promotes

a variety of colors throughout the year due to different

species flowering times (Toledo et al., 2021). The diffe-

rent shapes of the leaves and height of the trees create

a sensation of movement in the environment (Paiva et

al., 2008), calling for contemplation. The only species

which provides quality shade throughout the day is the

mangueira, but the other species do not have this pro-

perty, a consequence of the lack of landscape planning

for this purpose. The deciduous species such as plátano

and ipê were used, which lose their leaves at a certain

time of the year, further reducing the shaded area.

Gonçalves, L. R. et al.

Cad. Ciênc. Agrá., v. 14, p. 01–08, DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2022.40530

Figure 3 – Flamarion Wanderley map, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil (Google Earth, 2021).

Figure 4 – Partial view of Flamarion Wanderley Square in the rainy season on the left and in the dry season on the

right. Images: Luana Rocha

The species that are highly tolerant to drought

and, consequently, ideal for the Montes Claros climate,

comprise 46.15% of the total that were observed. These

are an important component in sustainable squares and

gardens and have great potential to be used in this re-

gion. Four species native to the Cerrado were found in

the square, distributed among two families. The absolute

density varied with maximum of 8 units and frequency

of 72.73% for the palmeira jerivá species and a mini-

mum of 1 unit for the other species, with a frequency

of 9.09% (Table 5). By computing the absolute density

of the native Cerrado species found in the area and the

absolute density of all species present in the square, it

was possible to observe a percentage of native species of

9.82%, which is considered insufficient to maintain the

balance of the ecosystem.

This square has structural elements such as trash

cans, adequate lighting, access ramp for the physically

challenged, many benches, two courts, walks for walking,

playground, and outdoor gym equipment. The entire

structure of the square is very well used by residents of

the neighborhood and by people who come from other

places because they consider the square a good place for

entertainment and sports. Table 6 shows the structural

elements present in the square and their quantity and

physical state.

Rotary Square

The Rotary Square is home to 27 individuals,

distributed in 22 families, totaling 105 species spread over

an area of 4,541 mZ, paved with straight paths (Figure

5 and 6). Among the species, the most frequent is the

sibipiruna, accounting for 28.57% of the total species,

followed by the hibisco with 11.43%. This Square is very

rich in ornamental and fruit species and has the potential

to house insects and birds of different species. The Table 7

lists all the species found in the Rotary Square with their

abundance, absolute frequency, and drought tolerance.

As can be seen in Table 7, the Rotary Square

has a great diversity of fruit plants that are attractive to

fauna. In its uniqueness, it includes 59.25% of highly

tolerant species to drought, such as agave-dragão, espa-

da-de-são-jorge, espadinha and iuca, ideal for the climatic

conditions of the region and for the use in sustainable

gardens. This Square has a great diversity of species of

Analysis of the adequacy of landscape composition to the semi-arid of squares in Montes Claros

Cad. Ciênc. Agrá., v. 14, p. 01–08, DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2022.40530

various sizes, which is adequate from the landscaping

point of view. Flowerbeds at different levels create a

sensation of movement together with species of different

crown heights (Paiva et al., 2008).

Table 4 – Species found in Flamarion Wanderley Square, with their abundance (AB), respective absolute frequencies

(AF) and tolerance to drought

Survey of all species at Flamarion Wanderley Square

Common Name Scientific Name Botanical Family AB FA Drought

Ipê-roxo Handroanthus impetigi-

nosus

Bignoniaceae 1 0.89% High

Mangueira Mangifera indica Anacardiaceae 1 0.89% Average

Ipê-amarelo-do-cerrado Handroanthus chrisotri-

Bignoniaceae 1 0.89% High

Tolerance

Celósia

Celosia argentea

Amaranthaceae

0.89%

Low

Hibisco

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Malvaceae

2.68%

Low

Primavera

Bougainvillea spectabilis

Nyctaginaceae

0.89%

High

Resedá gigante

Lagerstroemia speciosa

Lythraceae

14.29%

Low

Sibipiruna

Poincianella pluviosa

Fabaceae

26.79%

High

chus

Oiti

Licania tomentosa

Chrysobalanaceae

0.89%

High

Escova-de-garrafa

Callistemon imperialis

Myrtaceae

2.68%

High

Plátano

Platanus acerifolia

Platanaceae

0.89%

Low

Calicarpa

Callicarpa reevesii

Myrtaceae

2.68%

Low

Eritrina verde-amarela

Erythrina variegata

Fabaceae

0.89%

Low

Aroeira salsa

Schinus molle

Anacardiaceae

5.36%

High

Ipê-rosa

Handroanthus sp

Bignoniaceae

1.79%

Low

Sanquésia

Sanchezia speciosa

Acanthaceae

3.57%

High

Cica

Cycas revoluta

Cycadaceae

2.68%

Average

Moreia

Dietes bicolor

Iridaceae

2.68%

Average

Cordiline

Cordyline terminalis

Angiospermae

0.89%

Low

Iuca

Yucca guatemalensis

Agavaceae

0.89%

High

Palmeira areca

Dypsis lutescens

Arecaceae

11.61%

Low

Coquinho azedo

Butia capitata

Arecaceae

0.89%

High

Palmeira-rabo-de-peixe

Caryota urens

Arecaceae

2.68%

Low

Palmeira imperial

Roystonea oleracea

Arecaceae

1.79%

High

Palmeira fênix

Phoenix roebelenii

Arecaceae

0.89%

Low

Palemira jerivá

Syagrus romanzoffiana

Arecaceae

7.14%

High

Grama-esmeralda

Zoysia japonica

Poaceae

0.89%

Low

27 species

17 families

112

100%