Abstract
In the Cerrado Biome of Brazil, African grasses constitute a serious problem, occurring in virtually all protected areas. Molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora P. Beauv.) accumulates more biomass than do most other species of the herbaceous stratum vegetation native to the Cerrado. In this study, our aim was to determine the impact of M. minutiflora on native vegetation, as well as (using simulations of fire traits) on the characteristics of fires, in invaded areas of the Serra do Rola-Moça State Park (Parque Estadual da Serra do Rola-Moça, PESRM), a protected area where fires are frequent, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Our main results are that M. minutiflora considerably increases the amount of biomass, becoming the main combustible plant in the campo-cerrado (grassy-woody savanna) fires in the PESRM; that the native monocot biomass is inversely correlated with the M. minutiflora biomass, suggesting suppression of the native herbaceous stratum; that eudicots are diminished by M. minutiflora, both in number of individuals and number of species; and that fires are more severe in M. minutiflora-invaded areas.
Highlights
The most economically important cattle forage grass species in the Neotropics are those native to Africa (Parsons 1972)
The PESRM is located in the northwestern part of the region known as the Iron Quadrangle, a transition area between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado Biomes, in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais
Apart from molasses grass, seven native monocot species were found in the studied area: six species of Poaceae (Andropogon sp., Anthaenantia lanata (Kunth) Benth., Aristida recurvata Kunth, Axonopus siccus Kuhlm, Paspalum sp., and Schizachyrium microstachyum (Desv. ex Ham.) Roseng., B.R
Summary
The most economically important cattle forage grass species in the Neotropics are those native to Africa (Parsons 1972). In Brazil, African grasses were introduced during the colonization period of the 16th century (Diamond 1999; Zenni & Ziller 2011) and were commonly used for pasture after deforestation (Parsons 1972; Fearnside 2005). Owing to their great ability to invade open areas, they became a serious problem in the Cerrado Biome (Pivello 2014), becoming common in several of its protected areas (Pivello et al 1999a; 1999b). Beauv. (molasses grass), widely distributed in South America, Hawaii, Australia, Central America, Asia and Oceania
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