Post‐fire invasion and subsequent extinction of Conyza spp. in Mediterranean forests is mostly explained by local factors. (7th August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pino, J; Arnan, X; Rodrigo, A; Retana, J; Storkey, Jonathan
• Is Part Of: Weed research. Volume 53:Number 6(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 470
• Page End: 478
• Publication Date: 2013-08-07
• Subjects: Weeds -- Control -- Periodicals; Herbicides -- Periodicals; 632.5
• DOI: 10.1111/wre.12040
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0043-1737

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="wre12040-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>This work explored the invasion patterns of <italic>Conyza</italic> species in Mediterranean pine forests after fire and identified their main correlates through a temporal study approach. We hypothesised that wildfires might favour <italic>Conyza</italic> spp. invasion in these forests, but only transiently and depending on fire regime. We recorded <italic>Conyza</italic> spp. invasion and subsequent extinction in plots from species' occurrence and cover in vegetation surveys. We also explored the association of <italic>Conyza</italic> spp. presence and cover with a set of climatic, landscape and local (plot) factors using GLZ and GLM. We assessed changes in significant factors over time with a Wilcoxon test for paired samples. Evidence for <italic>Conyza</italic> spp. establishment was found in two‐thirds of the study plots, with an invasion peak 2 years after fire. Local factors related to resource availability, including high fire severity, low soil stoniness and total vegetation cover and high herbaceous cover, were significantly correlated with <italic>Conyza</italic> occurrence in plots at the invasion peak. However, <italic>Conyza</italic> cover was always low (≤6%) and populations did not persist more than several years, thus becoming rarer as plant cover increased. Landscape and climatic factors showed no association with <italic>Conyza</italic> occurrence. In conclusion, wildfires favour transient invasion of European Mediterranean pine forests by <italic>Conyza</italic> spp. Invasion is mostly enhanced by local fire severity and constrained by subsequent vegetation recovery, while it is poorly explained by climate and landscape, either current or historical.</p> </abstract>