Abstract

Introduction. Forests are themost diverse terrestrialecosystems and fulfillenvironmental and ecological, social and economicfunctions, offerdirect and indirectbenefitstotheenvironment, oneofthemainonesistheregulatoryservice. Objective. Wastoanalyzetheecosystemserviceofregulationof a galleryforestofthe San Lorenzo stream, Paraguay. Materials and method.Theresearchworkwascarriedout in thegalleryforestofthe San Lorenzo stream, Paraguay. Fourplotsof 750 m²eachwereestablishedfor data collection. The variables studiedwere: thefloristiccomposition, thephysical and chemicalconditionsofthesoil, theaverageinfiltrationrateofthesoil and theaccumulationofcarbon in theaerial, root and soiltreestrata. Results.Theforestismade up ofindividualsfromtheMeliaceae, Myrthaceae and Moraceaefamilies. In fewerspecies are Cecropiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Rhamnaceae and Sapotaceae. Thearborealcarbonstoredyieldedanaverageof 38.4 tC.ha^-1, as forthesoil (COS) componentanaverageof 31.08 tC.ha^-1waspresented. The total carbonaccumulated in thetwocomponentsis 69.48 tC.ha^-1. Theaveragecarbonequivalentobtainedis 254.81 tCO₂e.ha^-1. Theaverageinfiltrationratewas 66 mm.h^-1. Thesoilisflooded and littleaerated, withlowhydraulicconductivityfrom 50 cm fromthesurface. Conclusion.Thegalleryforestofferscarbonsequestrationservices, thearborealbiomasswhatconstitutesthelargestcarbonreservoir, providingwaterforconservation and sourceofthesupplyofsoilnutrients in thesub-basinofthe San Lorenzo stream, Paraguay.

Keywords: carbonestimation; soilnutrients; infiltrationrate; ecosystemservice