Invasive grasses and invasive pines in Brazil

In Brazil, a project is investigating the threat that invasive grasses pose to Cerrado conservation and restoration inside nature reserves. The research aims to identify thresholds for the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem properties along an invasion gradient. The project has an applied slant: by using prescribed burnings it is looking into how these interventions could be used to restore degraded invaded areas.

The Brazilian team is also looking at the socioeconomic aspect of grass invasion in Cerrado. As the invasive species are widely used for cattle pastures, there is an economic motivation in their introduction. A post-doc project will evaluate the possibilities of alternative scenarios for beef production that could reconcile the economic and ecological aspects of invasive grasses. Finally, together with the Argentinian and Chilean teams, the team is also working on invasive pines, their impacts and restoration initiatives.