Abstract
Abstract The recovery of fynbos vegetation after invasion by dense stands of alien trees, and clearing by either ‘burn standing’, ‘fell and burn’, or ‘fell, remove and burn’ treatments, was investigated in two watersheds in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Native plant density, cover, functional and biological guilds and species richness were compared with matched control sites that were not invaded, but were burnt in the same fires. Species richness was lower for invaded sites compared to controls, at all scales measured (up to 2000m2). Species area curves for invaded sites did not converge with those of controls, indicating that lower richness at smaller scales was not compensated by increased species survival at a larger scale. Indigenous plant density and cover were lower for invaded sites compared to controls. Overall, treatment differences were non-significant, but the ‘burn standing’ treatment caused the least change to vegetation variables, and the ‘fell, remove and burn’ and ‘fell and burn’ treatments caused greater, similar changes. Changes to the guild structure of the recovering fynbos stands differed among treatments, and indicated that the ‘fell and burn’ treatment had the greatest negative effect on guild survival. In the ‘fell and burn’ treatment, which resulted in an exceptionally intense fire, only non-mycorrhizal graminoids (predominantly myrmecochores) persisted relatively well. Because of practical problems associated with the ‘burn standing’ and ‘fell, remove and burn’ treatments, managers often have little option but to apply the ‘fell and burn’ treatment. Our results illustrate the dangers of this, and highlight the need for intervention before areas become densely invaded. They also highlight the need for effective biological control agents to reduce rates of spread of aggressively invasive species.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Invaded sites had lower species richness than uninvaded controls at all measured scales.
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Verbatim
e0“Species richness was lower for invaded sites compared to controls, at all scales measured (up to 2000m2).”
Claim · model-written summary
Species area curves at invaded sites did not converge with controls.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Species area curves for invaded sites did not converge with those of controls”
Claim · model-written summary
Indigenous plant density and cover were lower at invaded sites.
Verbatim
e0“Indigenous plant density and cover were lower for invaded sites compared to controls.”
Claim · model-written summary
Overall differences among clearing treatments were nonsignificant.
Not reportedTaxonComparatorDirection
Verbatim
e0“Overall, treatment differences were non-significant”
Claim · model-written summary
Burn standing caused the least change in vegetation variables.
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Verbatim
e0“the ‘burn standing’ treatment caused the least change to vegetation variables”
Claim · model-written summary
Fell, remove and burn caused greater vegetation changes.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“the ‘fell, remove and burn’ and ‘fell and burn’ treatments caused greater, similar changes”
Claim · model-written summary
Fell and burn caused greater vegetation changes.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“the ‘fell, remove and burn’ and ‘fell and burn’ treatments caused greater, similar changes”
Claim · model-written summary
Fell and burn had the greatest negative effect on guild survival.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“the ‘fell and burn’ treatment had the greatest negative effect on guild survival”
Claim · model-written summary
Non-mycorrhizal graminoids persisted relatively well after fell and burn.
Not reportedTreatmentComparatorDirection
Verbatim
e0“only non-mycorrhizal graminoids (predominantly myrmecochores) persisted relatively well”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors urge intervention before dense invasion.
- Outcome
- intervention before areas become densely invadede0
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Verbatim
e0“highlight the need for intervention before areas become densely invaded”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors urge effective biological control to slow invasive species spread.
- Outcome
- effective biological control agents to reduce rates of spread of aggressively invasive speciese0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“They also highlight the need for effective biological control agents to reduce rates of spread of aggressively invasive species.”