O fogo como facilitador da invasão biológica por Megathyrsus maximus (Poaceae: Panicoideae) na Terra Indígena Maxakali (MG): propostas para um manejo agroecológico integrado e adaptativo

Abstract

Indigenous lands are instruments for territorial protection that have been effectively contributing
for biodiversity conservation on Brazil, especially in the Amazon region. In the Atlantic rainforest, however,
not only the indigenous lands are fewer in number, they are also considerably smaller in geographic extension,
when compared to the Amazon. The Maxakali indigenous land, located at northeastern Minas Gerais, in a
transition zone between the coastal humid and the seasonal semi-deciduous Atlantic phytophysiognomies
may serve as a biodiversity refuge in a widely deforested region. However, for such to happen, first it is needed to address the problem of biological invasion of guinea-grass (Megathyrsus maximus). This species
was introduced in the area during the first half of the XXth century, and today it is widespread over a major
portion of the territory, suppressing the return of the forest, due to the changes it has brought to the local fire
regime. In case they receive adequate technical, financial, pedagogical and psychological support from the
academy, public policies and civil society, the maxakali may become important allies in the recovery and
conservation of this secularly exploited biome called Atlantic forest. Herein, we compile some information
about the historical process of biological invasion in the Maxakali territory. We aim to point out some strategies
for the invasive African grass control, in order to return the socio-ecological resilience axis back to that of a
forested agroecosystem, and establish the basis of an adaptive, integrated agroecological approach