Impact of invasive grasses on Cerrado under natural regeneration

Autor(es)

Damasceno, Gabriella ^[1] ; Souza, Lara ^{[2, 3]} ; Pivello, Vania R. ^[4] ; Gorgone-Barbosa, Elizabeth ^[1] ; Giroldo, Paula Z. ^[4] ; Fidelis, Alessandra ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Inst Biociencias, Lab Vegetat Ecol, Rio Claro Ave 24A, 1515, BR-13506900 Rio Claro - Brazil

^[2] Univ Oklahoma, Oklahoma Biol Survey, 111 E Chesapeake St, Norman, OK 73019 - USA

^[3] Univ Oklahoma, Dept Microbiol & Plant Biol, 111 E Chesapeake St, Norman, OK 73019 - USA

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ecol, Rua Matao, Trav 14, 321, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Biological Invasions; v. 20, n. 12, p. 3621-3629, DEC 2018.
• Citações Web of Science: 5

Resumo

Cerrado is the Brazilian neotropical savanna threatened by invasive African grasses. We aimed to quantify the impact of invasive Melinis minutiflora and Urochloa brizantha on the cover of different functional groups (native graminoids, forbs, shrubs) and the structure (bare soil and the cover of natives' and invasives' dead biomass) of regenerating plant communities. We hypothesized that the impact of invasives would be negative and more pronounced in the rainy period, given the great influence of seasonality in savannas. In three community types (non-invaded, invaded by M. minutiflora and invaded by U. brizantha) we evaluated the cover of functional groups and structural components by sampling 120 1mx1m plots, four times a year. Using the Cohen's D impact index, we showed that both invasive species reduced the cover of all native functional groups, decreased bare soil and increased total dead cover. Greatest effects occurred when M. minutiflora was present. M. minutiflora's impact on total graminoids varied from positive in the Early-Dry season to negative in the Mid-Dry season, while the negative impact of U. brizantha on bare soil became more pronounced from the dry to the rainy season. Differences in the impacts caused by the invasive species are probably due to the large biomass produced by M. minutiflora versus the fast colonization and soil occupancy by U. brizantha. Overall, invaded versus non-invaded communities differed in structure, as well as both invaded communities differed from each other. Our results demonstrate the need to control these species for conservation and restoration of Cerrado ecosystems. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 15/06743-0 - Como a época do fogo afeta a vegetação do cerrado?
• Beneficiário: Alessandra Tomaselli Fidelis
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores
• Processo FAPESP: 15/10714-6 - Como queimadas em diferentes épocas do ano afetam a relação entre gramíneas invasoras e a vegetação nativa de Cerrado?
• Beneficiário: Gabriella de Faria Oliveira Damasceno Ribeiro
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado