Influence of fire on plant regeneration in a Stipa tenacissima L. community in the Sierra Larga mountain range (SE Spain)

The range of communities dominated by Stipa tenacissima extends from Ukraine to North Africa. They contain several endemic species in Spain. The post-fire response of a community of S. tenacissima in semiarid SE Spain was studied by following the dynamics of the floristic richness and plant cover during the first four years. The importance of S. tenacissima was noticed during recolonization of these zones, where, three years after a fire, the high degree of cover was similar to that of unburned areas. The prolonged drought during the study period uas the probable cause of difficulties in recolonization of the burned area by the three obligate seeder species (Pinus halepensis, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Cistus clusii) which were widespread in the unburned community. Juniperus phoenicea did not sprout after the fire, and four years later no seedlings were encountered in the burned area. According to the results, the endemic plants living in the S. tenacissima community were not negatively affected by fire; the twelve endemic species found in this community were all capable of responding to the fire either through new shoots or by reproduction through seeds.