The study was conducted in stands of commercial plantations
of P. elliottii and A. angustifolia, both with presence of understory,
as well as in areas of native forests in a commercial tree farm
located in the municipality of Campo Belo do Sul (27°59’ S and
50°53’ W), southern Brazil (1,000 m asl). The area has 17,000
ha; half of it is used for Pinus plantations and only 500 ha are
used for the Araucaria plantations. The climate is typical of
the southern Brazilian highlands, with cool summers, no dry
season, and frequent severe frosts (Köppen Cfb classification).
The mean annual temperature is 16° C.