Response of understory vegetation to prescribed burning in yellow pine forests of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park ( Arctostaphylos pungens).

Abstract

One of the main purposes for prescription burning was to attempt to create a more 'park-like' appearance by reducing the dense understory shrubs in some areas without destroying the trees. The 3 described burns contributed greatly toward this goal. Mature shrubs were significantly reduced but the mature trees were not significantly affected. Almost all of the shrub reduction is accounted for by the dominant shrub Arctostaphylos pungens. The reduction of less dominant shrub species was also apparent as a result of the burns; unlike A.pungens, however, these shrubs are sprouters and are therefore recovering slightly. -from Authors