High survival promotes bunchgrass persistence in old‐growth savannas under different fire regimes

Abstract Clonal perennial grasses are a key functional group in fire‐prone, old‐growth grasslands and savannas. They are flammable and can resist extinction for decades. Although clonal grasses as a functional group are considered resilient to fire regime variation, data‐based research on clonal gra...

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Main Authors: Jennifer M. Fill, Raelene M. Crandall
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Ecosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70092
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author Jennifer M. Fill
Raelene M. Crandall
author_facet Jennifer M. Fill
Raelene M. Crandall
author_sort Jennifer M. Fill
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Clonal perennial grasses are a key functional group in fire‐prone, old‐growth grasslands and savannas. They are flammable and can resist extinction for decades. Although clonal grasses as a functional group are considered resilient to fire regime variation, data‐based research on clonal grass dynamics under multiple different fire regimes is still lacking. We modeled the population dynamics of wiregrass (Aristida beyrichiana), an endemic perennial bunchgrass, under very different long‐term, frequent fire regimes within the historical range of variation, in two southeastern US pine savanna environments. All wiregrass populations had similar and stable population growth rates. As expected for a long‐lived species, survival was nearly 100% in all populations. Given that flowering in wiregrass is fire‐stimulated, there was high variability in flowering and seed production between fire and non‐fire years. The consistency of results between our study populations lends data‐driven support to wiregrass' resilience under fire regimes that differ in frequency and seasonality. The patterns we observed in wiregrass mirror inferences from other studies of dominant grass dynamics in old‐growth tropical savannas and support the inclusion of old‐growth US pine savannas in global savanna ecology.
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spelling doaj-art-ce64ac82e1be405a8368a29220167a9c2025-01-27T14:51:34ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252024-12-011512n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.70092High survival promotes bunchgrass persistence in old‐growth savannas under different fire regimesJennifer M. Fill0Raelene M. Crandall1School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida Gainesville Florida USASchool of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida Gainesville Florida USAAbstract Clonal perennial grasses are a key functional group in fire‐prone, old‐growth grasslands and savannas. They are flammable and can resist extinction for decades. Although clonal grasses as a functional group are considered resilient to fire regime variation, data‐based research on clonal grass dynamics under multiple different fire regimes is still lacking. We modeled the population dynamics of wiregrass (Aristida beyrichiana), an endemic perennial bunchgrass, under very different long‐term, frequent fire regimes within the historical range of variation, in two southeastern US pine savanna environments. All wiregrass populations had similar and stable population growth rates. As expected for a long‐lived species, survival was nearly 100% in all populations. Given that flowering in wiregrass is fire‐stimulated, there was high variability in flowering and seed production between fire and non‐fire years. The consistency of results between our study populations lends data‐driven support to wiregrass' resilience under fire regimes that differ in frequency and seasonality. The patterns we observed in wiregrass mirror inferences from other studies of dominant grass dynamics in old‐growth tropical savannas and support the inclusion of old‐growth US pine savannas in global savanna ecology.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70092demographyfire regimeold‐growth grasslandspine savannapopulationresilience
spellingShingle Jennifer M. Fill
Raelene M. Crandall
High survival promotes bunchgrass persistence in old‐growth savannas under different fire regimes
Ecosphere
demography
fire regime
old‐growth grasslands
pine savanna
population
resilience
title High survival promotes bunchgrass persistence in old‐growth savannas under different fire regimes
title_full High survival promotes bunchgrass persistence in old‐growth savannas under different fire regimes
title_fullStr High survival promotes bunchgrass persistence in old‐growth savannas under different fire regimes
title_full_unstemmed High survival promotes bunchgrass persistence in old‐growth savannas under different fire regimes
title_short High survival promotes bunchgrass persistence in old‐growth savannas under different fire regimes
title_sort high survival promotes bunchgrass persistence in old growth savannas under different fire regimes
topic demography
fire regime
old‐growth grasslands
pine savanna
population
resilience
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70092
work_keys_str_mv AT jennifermfill highsurvivalpromotesbunchgrasspersistenceinoldgrowthsavannasunderdifferentfireregimes
AT raelenemcrandall highsurvivalpromotesbunchgrasspersistenceinoldgrowthsavannasunderdifferentfireregimes