Impacts of feral pigs in Brazilian subtropical highlands are unknown. Along fieldwork from other projects, researchers are witnessing the destruction of native grasslands by feral pigs, which arrived in 2016 in São Joaquim National Park, a protected area created to protect highland grasslands, Araucaria forests and ecosystem services. Local residents are also reporting the presence and damages of feral pigs in their lands, evidencing socioeconomic impacts and the need for control actions. This project aims to measure and quantify feral pig impacts and restore degraded areas. This project is being done in partnership with Prof. Dr. Michele de Sá Dechoum, a professor at Federal University of Santa Catarina and involves her lab (LEIMAC), researchers and students.
Rafael Barbizan Sühs
Postdoctoral fellow
I am focused on understading processes and patterns of vegetation ecology and dynamics.