First record of herbivory of the invasive macrophyte Hedychium coronarium J. König (Zingiberaceae)

Abstract

Invasive species can cause structural and functional changes in their non-native habitats, such as changes in the trophic chain. We describe ramet herbivory of butterfly ginger, an aggressive aquatic weed in Brazil, by capybaras in a floodplain area of a Cerrado reserve. This is the first record of herbivory of H. coronarium in invaded areas. Capybaras could be using the butterfly ginger as habitat and as a food resource, which could cause changes in apparent competition between these invasive and native macrophytes.

butterfly ginger; aquatic weed; capybaras