Search

Extensive invasion of the Campos grasslands of southern Brazil by the South African grass, Eragrostis plana, is a serious conservation problem due to its low palatability and ability to quickly spread. Here, we experimentally evaluated the effects of grazing management and initial disturbance on invasibility of native grassland community by E. plana. The experiment, a split-plot complete block design with three replications, was established in 2004 in non-invaded native grassland. Grazing management treatments were assessed in main plots (continuous grazing, rotational grazing, and grazing exclusion). The initial disturbance treatments (light grazing, heavy grazing, and heavy grazing plus soil scarification) were applied in subplots before the sowing of standard amounts of E. plana seeds. The initial disturbances heavy grazing and heavy grazing plus soil scarification simulated the introduction of exotic forage species. We monitor plant species composition and diversity along six years after the experiment starting. The effects of grazing management and initial disturbance on community invasibility were significant and showed interaction. Heavy grazing plus soil scarification increased the rate of E. plana invasion and produced more pronounced changes in species composition than the other treatments. Plots under grazing exclusion, rotational or continuous grazing without soil scarification had low levels of invasion (

Entre os principais problemas relacionados ao manejo da vegetação nessa região, merece destaque a expansão da gramínea exótica Eragrostis plana Ness, que apresenta elevada capacidade de colonização dos campos naturais e tendência de exclusão da comunidade vegetal nativa. Algumas plantas são capazes de sintetizar determinados metabólitos secundários, liberados no ambiente e que podem interferir no ciclo de vida de outras plantas. A espécie Luehea divaricata Martius tem grande potencial para ser utilizada no controle do capim-annoni. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar o efeito de extratos de L. divaricata sobre a germinação, a emergência e o crescimento de plântulas de capim-annoni. Foram realizados dois experimentos: um em casa de vegetação para a avaliação da porcentagem de emergência (%E), índice de velocidade de emergência (IVE), comprimento da parte aérea e massa seca total de plantas; e outro em laboratório para a avaliação da porcentagem de germinação (%G), índice de velocidade de germinação (IVG), comprimento do sistema radicular. Os tratamentos utilizados foram: T1- água destilada; T2- extrato de L. divaricata 40 g.L-1 , T3- extrato de L. divaricata 80 g.L-1 e T4- extrato de L. divaricata 120 g.L-1 e o delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualisado. Os extratos de L. divaricata diminuem o índice de velocidade de emergência e comprimento do sistema radicular e aumentam o comprimento da parte aérea e massa seca total, não interferindo na porcentagem de germinação, porcentagem de emergência e índice de velocidade de germinação.

Impacts of invasive plants on plant communities are not universal, and effects may differ depending on the life form of the invading species. At three sites in the Brazilian Pampa region, we assessed the effects of invasion by Eragrostis plana Nees, considered to be the most problematic invasive plant in South Brazilian grasslands, on local plant communities. Specifically, we evaluated effects on species richness, community evenness and richness of principal functional groups along an invasion gradient. Based on plant community data, we also evaluated the effects of dominant native species on the same plant community features, thus being able to assess the relative impacts of an invasive species compared to abundant native species. Eragrostis plana invasion reduced total plant richness, with some distinct effects regarding plant functional groups, and differently from other coexisting native species that did not show the same effects even when of high abundance. Grasses were the most affected plant group when E. plana cover increased, consistent with the limiting similarity hypothesis. Overall, our results indicate clear negative effects of this invasive plant on the grassland communities. Comparing the effects of an invasive species to those of coexisting natives is crucial for disentangling the real impact of an invader. Our results demonstrate that effects are consequence of species identity, and not only of high abundances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]