Effects of late growing‐season and late dormant‐season prescribed fire on herbaceous vegetation in restored pine‐grassland communities

Abstract

We compared the effects of late dormant‐season and late growing‐season prescribed fires on herbaceous species in restored shortleaf pine‐ (Pinus echinata) grassland communities in the Ouachita Highlands of western Arkansas. Herbaceous species richness, diversity, and total forb and legume abundance increased following fire. Late growing‐season burns reduced distribution and abundance of panicums (primarily Panicum boscii, P. dichotomum, and P. linearifolium) while late dormant‐season burns increased Panicum distribution and abundance. Density of legumes (such as Stylosanthes biflora) increased following frequent or annual dormant‐season fires. However, season of fire influenced the distribution and abundance of fewer than 10 % of the species. Fire plays an essential role in pine‐grassland communities by creating and maintaining open canopy conditions that perpetuate understory herbaceous plant communities.