Levantamento florístico como subsídio para implantação de trilhas em dunas no litoral oriental do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

The coastal dune ecosystem, known for its floristic richness, for its importance as groundwater recharge and barrier against wind and marine action, are threatened by the local disorderly human occupation. In this context of degradation, ecotourism has served as an alternative pledge of natural areas conservation. But to accomplish it, or to perform any conservation action, first of all, it’s necessary to know the local ecosystem, for this reason there is a need to conduct surveys of its diversity. In this context, this paper made a preliminary floristic survey on five nature trails near the coastal community of Maracajaú, located in the eastern coast of the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN). As a result, it was obtained the identification of twenty plants in five tracks. Among these plants eight are new records of occurrences in the state of RN. This exploratory survey of the biota of dune vegetation covering the dunes field of Maracajaú is, at present, the most accurate source of information in this regard in the area. It can be concluded from this work that the region has a great not well known floristic potential, which can be used in efficient and sustainable actions to generate income for the community like, for example, the structuring and development of natural trails (ecotrails)