Brazilian semiarid rangelands are characterized by low carrying capacity and overstocking, consequently a high proportion is under some degradation level. There is high potential to use these areas as pastoral ecosystems, but some technologies need to be applied in order to improve herbaceous forage biomass and, consequently, their carrying capacity. To measure the impacts of thinning on forage biomass and botanical forage species composition in Brazilian semi-arid rangelands, this work was carried out. During the wet season and the transition from wet to dry season, the total forage biomass (kg/ha) and the botanical composition were monitored in three areas: �Savanna� thinned rangeland, Layer thinned rangeland and a control area. A completely randomized block design with two replicates was adopted. Data was analyzed by ANOVA and means were compared by using Tukey test (p<0.05). Savanna thinned rangeland was efficient to increase in 33 times the total forage biomass (TFB) during wet season compare to control (59 kg/ha). This response was a benefit from some herbaceous species (Arachis dardani, Phaseolus patyroides, Stylosanthes macrocephala, Anthephora Hermaphrodita) that appeared in the Savanna thinned rangeland. During the transition season, the same behavior was observed. There were not season effects to Layer thinning compare with control. The TFB of the Layer thinned rangeland was two times higher than control (834 kg/ha). This management benefited the encroachment of the area with the forage species�Phaseolus patyroides, Centrosema�pubescens e Anthephora Hermaphrodita. Savanna or Layer thinning has improved the amount and quality of forage biomass, thus potentially increasing the animal output and the soil protection in Brazilian semiarid rangelands.
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