Atlantic Forest recovery after long-term eucalyptus plantations: The role of zoochoric and shade-tolerant tree species on carbon stock

•Old Growth and Second Growth Forests after eucalyptus plantation are clearly unlike.•Second Growth Forests are similar between them concerning richness and carbon stock.•There was a slow recovery of species richness and carbon stock after eucalyptus plantation.•After 32 years, forests recovered 38% of species richness and 14% of carbon stock.•There were carbon-species-richness co-benefits among zoochoric and shade-tolerant species.