118080 20240319080955.0 doi 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115125 sideral 128823 ART-2022-128823 eng Mora, J.L. Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0001-8146-0364 Fire does not transform shrublands of Echinospartum horridum (Vahl) Rothm. into grasslands in the Pyrenees: Development of community structure and nutritive value after single prescribed burns 2022 Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted Prescribed fire has been extensively used in recent years to control woody encroachment into mountain and other grassland–dominated landscapes. In the Aragon Pyrenees, prescribed burns have been mainly used to remove the native thorny shrub Echinospartum horridum (Vahl) Rothm., whose populations are spreading to the detriment of grasslands. To study the effectiveness of the burning of E. horridum to preserve grasslands for livestock grazing, the vegetation of six sites burned 0.5, 2, 3, 6, 15 and 35 years ago was sampled and compared with that of nearby unburned shrubland (control) and grassland (reference). In addition, the nutritional quality of E. horridum was examined and compared to that of the reference grassland to evaluate to what extent shrub growth can be controlled by herbivores after burning. Initial shrub cover recovered as early as 15 years after fire, with E. horridum being dominant. Plant diversity was greatest at intermediate number of years after fire. Initial floristic composition and life–form spectrum were restored 15–35 years after burning. Echinospartum horridum exhibited early lignification that restricts its availability as a palatable forage for the first two years after burning and makes it unlikely to be consumed thereafter, highlighting the difficulty in controlling the expansion of this species by livestock herbivory. The analysis of the nutrient levels suggested an increased shortage of limiting elements, such as phosphorus or sulfur, in the mid–term after burning due to substantial nutrient losses and exports during and after the burn. Our results question the suitability and sustainability of a single prescribed burn as management tool alone to control the expansion of E. horridum and call for caution in its application for fighting shrub encroachment in the Central Pyrenees. info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by-nc http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/es/ 8.7 2022 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES 31 / 275 = 0.113 2022 Q1 T1 1.678 2022 Environmental Engineering 2022 Q1 Waste Management and Disposal 2022 Q1 Medicine (miscellaneous) 2022 Q1 Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law 2022 Q1 13.4 2022 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Badía-Villas, D. Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-1006-5030 Gómez, D. 5011 240 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. CC.Agrar.y Medio Natural Área Edafología y Quím.Agríco. 315 (2022), 115125 [11 pp.] J. environ. manag. Journal of environmental management 0301-4797 918109 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/118080/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 2534669 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/118080/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:118080 articulos driver 2024-03-18-13:30:18 ARTICLE