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| Author(s): |
Talita Marques Zupo
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB) |
| Defense date: | 2010-12-08 |
| Examining board members: |
Vania Regina Pivello;
Adriana Maria Zanforlin Martini;
Sergio Tadeu Meirelles
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| Advisor: | Vania Regina Pivello |
| Abstract | |
Many African grasses have been introduced in Brazil and have invaded areas of Brazilian savannas, thus becoming a major threat to the biological diversity of this biome. Traits involving evolutionary trade-offs that influence the species adaptive strategies, such as differences in nutrient uptake, nutrient loss and biomass allocation in response to plant competition and facilitation, and environmental stress and disturbance, will influence individual performance and population maintenance in plant communities. Therefore, it is extremely important to identify the mechanisms associated with invasiveness that lead to a better performance of exotic species over co-occuring natives. Comparisons involving traits of both native and exotic species may lead to a better understanding concerning the success of invasions. This study sought to recognize possible competitive strategies adopted by an invasive grass, Urochloa decmbens, and a native grass, Echinolaena inflexa, in a Brazilian savanna. In order to identify aspects relative to their colonization strategies, the reproductive fenologies and seed viability and germination rates of both species were analyzed. An experiment with potted plants was performed where seeds of both species were sown in different relative proportions to each other. Three census were carried out during a period of 12 months to evaluate survival, growth and fecundity of both species. Gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence were quantified for each species in pure and mixed stands in the field; total and specific leaf area for both species were also measured. In the potted experiment, when seeds of both species were sown together, the growth of the native species was suppressed by the exotic species. In pure treatments, however, individuals of the native species grew in size, but only 2% reproduced. On the other hand, individuals of the exotic species grew in size and reproduced in all treatments, demonstrating that this species allocated enough resources for both growth and reproduction. The photosynthetic rates were greater for the invasive species, however, in mixed stands, both species had their photosynthetic rates and capacities decreased. The smaller specific leaf area of the native species suggests lower rates of nutrient loss than the invasive species, which would favor its persistence in nutrient poor environments, as the Brazilian savannas. Yet, with the occurrence of disturbances and variable nutrient availabilities, the native species might be displaced by the invasive species, since the later possesses traits leading to a higher competitive ability in such conditions. (AU) | |