Estratégias para a mitigação de herbivoria por capivaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) sobre reflorestamento de floresta ripária no alto rio das Velhas, Minas Gerais, Brasil

Abstract

This study investigated the potential of diversionary feeding and behavior contingent sonic deterrents in mitigating herbivory impacts by capybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) in a riparian forest reclamation site in the Velhas river watershed, southeast Brazil. To this end, Paspalum notatum, popularly known as batatais or bahiagrass, was chosen as a diversionary food candidate and motion activated sonic alarms were used as deterrents. A field experiment compared plant cover and damage incidence between a control, from which capybaras were excluded by fencing, and open plots with and without sonic deterrents in which P. notatum was cultivated alongside other species of interest to the eclamation of the area. P. notatum proved distinctly preferred by capybaras, suffering 8.14 times more damages than the remaining species in its plots and suffering cover losses of up to 40% outside control plots while the remaining species showed no difference from the control. Sonic deterrents did not influence soil cover by any of the species, but did mitigate damage incidence on P. notatum, independently of time, whereas damages were 93% more prevalent in the plots without deterrents. This success was partial, however, as damage incidence in the presence of deterrents was still greater than in the control.