Invasive wild boars reduce vegetation productivity and may alter carbon dynamics on montane grasslands

Summary

This study employed satellite-based remote sensing to quantify the impact of invasive wild boars on high-altitude grassland vegetation productivity in southern Brazil over a 12-year period. By comparing NDVI trajectories in boar-impacted areas (onset 2019) with adjacent unimpacted controls, the authors documented progressive vegetation degradation attributable to wild boar rooting activity and associated soil disturbance. The findings suggest that wild boar invasion may alter carbon dynamics through reduced vegetation productivity, with implications for grassland ecosystem functioning and resilience.

Regional applicability

This study was conducted in Brazil and is geographically specific to southern montane grasslands. However, wild boar invasion is a global biosecurity threat affecting both temperate and tropical regions; the methodological approach using NDVI time-series analysis could be transferable to UK upland and grassland systems where wild boar populations are expanding, though local ecological context and vegetation phenology would require adaptation.

Key measures

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from satellite imagery; temporal trends analysed using generalized linear mixed models; quantile-based range of expected variability (2.5–97.5%) for baseline conditions; NDVI extracted from summer images only (2013–2025)

Outcomes reported

The study measured changes in vegetation productivity using satellite-derived NDVI in high-altitude grasslands impacted by invasive wild boars from 2013 to 2025, comparing impacted areas to adjacent unimpacted controls. Progressive decline in NDVI values was documented in boar-impacted pixels relative to controls following the onset of impact in 2019.

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