Effects of fire on vegetation in the upper encinal woodlands: A case study

Abstract

The effects of fire on vegetation in the upper encinal woodlands, Santa Catalina Mountains, southeastern Arizona, were studied following a wildfire in July 1995. Similar unburned and burned sites were compared to determine differences (alpha = .05) for frequency, density, and percent cover of herbs, shrubs, and trees through observations made during early June of 1997 and 1998 (two and three years postfire). For herbs, which showed their opportunistic characters, differences existed for frequency and percent cover each year and density in the third year. For shrubs, due to the ability of the dominant species, Arctostaphylos pungens (pointleaf manzanita), to rapidly reseed itself, no differences existed for frequency or density each year; but total mortality of mature A. pungens resulted in differences for percent cover each year. For trees, due to the ability of Quercus spp. to vigorously stump sprout, no differences existed for frequency, density, or percent cover each year.