氮沉降对荒漠化草原草本植物物种多样性和群落组成的影响

采用野外条件下人工外源施加氮素模拟氮沉降的方式,设置了0、6、12和24g.m-2 4个纯氮素投加水平,在试验第一年(2007年)将不同水平的氮素随机投加到样方中,随后两年(2008～2009年)不再继续投加,研究氮沉降对荒漠化草原草本植物物种多样性和群落物种组成的影响。结果表明:植物物种丰富度和多度在年内均随着氮素投加水平的增大而降低,且物种多度比丰富度的降低程度更大;植物物种丰富度和多度年际间的变化则表现为低氮水平下差异显著(P<0.05),高氮水平下差异不显著的规律(P>0.05)。氮沉降改变了草本层片植物群落的物种组成,相对于多年生禾本科植物,多年生非禾本科植物在氮素处理下消失的概率更大。可见,氮沉降会降低荒漠化草原草本植物的物种多样性,改变草本植物群落的物种组成,且对荒漠化草原草本植物群落的影响是一个长期的过程。     

克氏针茅草原群落物种多样性与生物量关系对放牧强度的响应

放牧强度引起的草原植物群落物种多样性与地上生物量变化是近年来草地生态系统研究的热点问题。以内蒙古锡林郭勒克氏针茅草原为研究对象,探究植物群落结构特征、物种多样性与地上生物量之间相互关系及其对不同放牧强度的响应。结果表明：随着放牧强度的增加植物群落结构逐步向退化方向演替;植物群落高度逐渐降低（P<0.05）,密度逐渐增加（P<0.05）,盖度总体呈下降趋势（P<0.05）;植物群落和原有群落优势种地上生物量总体呈下降趋势（P<0.05）,而退化指示物种的地上生物量逐渐增加（P<0.05）;轻度、中度放牧条件下群落物种Margalef指数、Pielou指数、Simpson指数均显著高于重度放牧（P<0.05）;地上生物量与Shannon-Wiener指数、Margalef指数和Pielou指数呈正相关关系,而与Simpson指数呈负相关关系。综上所述,克氏针茅草原植物群落结构和功能在不同放牧强度下产生不同的响应,适度放牧有利于提高群落物种多样性与生物量。     

地上竞争对林下红松生物量分配的影响

采用整株收获法研究林下红松地上、地下生物量分配特征及地上竞争对其生物量分配和生物量相对生长的影响。结果表明,(1)将整个树冠划分为等长的上、中、下三层,活枝生物量从上层到下层逐渐增加,而针叶生物量主要集中在树冠中下层且在中下层的分布无显著差异(P>0.05),随着地下生物量逐渐增加,小细根(<2 mm)、粗细根(2-5 mm)的比例逐渐减小,而粗根(>5 mm)所占比例逐渐增大;(2)地上竞争强度与胸径、树高呈显著指数相关(P<0.001),随着竞争强度增大,胸径和树高均逐渐减小,树高胸径比与竞争强度呈显著线性相关(P<0.05),而树冠比率与竞争强度之间无显著相关性(P>0.05);(3)随着竞争强度增大,树干生物量占整株生物量的相对比例逐渐减小,而细根(小细根和粗细根)生物量相对比例逐渐增大,活枝、针叶及粗根生物量相对比例与竞争强度相关性并不显著(P>0.05);(4)红松根冠比均值为0.15且根冠比并不受地上竞争的影响,茎叶比与竞争强度的相关性亦不显著(P>0.05);(5)地上竞争显著影响红松地上各器官生物量的相对生长,且竞争强度与生物量呈显著负相关(P<0.001)。     

荒漠草原植物群落结构及其稳定性对增水和增氮的响应

通过在荒漠草原开展增水和增氮野外控制试验,研究增水和增氮对荒漠草原植物群落结构、物种多样性及群落稳定性的影响。结果表明：（1）增水和增氮处理显著影响了荒漠草原植物群落结构和地上生物量,而对植物群落稳定性影响不显著（P>0.05）。增水处理显著增加了豆科和禾本科植物地上生物量（101.3%和57.9%）（P<0.05）;增水+增氮处理显著增加了植物群落盖度（43.2%）和地上生物量（112.4%）及不同功能群（禾本科和杂类草）植物盖度（75.5%和47.3%）和地上生物量（139.3%和85.7%）（P<0.05）。与增氮处理相比,增水+增氮处理显著增加了植物群落和不同功能群（禾本科和杂类草）植物高度、盖度和地上生物量（P<0.05）。（2）增水、增氮和增水+增氮处理均显著降低了植物群落Pielou指数（11.7%、8.7%和10.2%）（P<0.05）。（3）增水和增水+增氮处理提高了荒漠草原植物群落稳定性,而增氮处理降低了荒漠草原植物群落稳定性。增水处理荒漠草原植物群落稳定性效应大于增水+增氮处理。研究表明,荒漠草原植物群落结构受到氮沉降和降水增加的共同影响。增加降水对荒漠草原植物群落稳定性的积极效应可能会抵消部分氮沉降的消极影响,荒漠草原植物群落地上生物量及群落稳定性可能有所增加。     

雌雄异株植物鼠李的生殖分配

以雌雄异株树种鼠李为模式物种,分别从树枝、植株和种群水平上分析了雌雄异株树种鼠李的生殖分配过程,检验了营养生长与生殖过程之间的平衡。结果表明:树枝水平,鼠李年生殖生物量(花生物量+果生物量)投资具有显著的性别差异和个体差异(P<0.001)。雌花生物量大于雄花生物量,雌花生物量最大值为雄花生物量最大值的1.75倍。雌树和雄树的叶片生物量差异不显著(P>0.05)。植株水平上,鼠李生殖生物量(花生物量+果生物量)投资具有显著的性别差异和个体差异(P<0.001),雌树与雄树的花生物量和茎干径向增量差异显著(P<0.05),叶片生物量差异不显著(P>0.05)。鼠李胸径大小对花生物量、叶生物量和茎干径向增量影响显著(P<0.05)。鼠李雌树的花生物量和茎干径向增量均大于雄树。种群水平上,鼠李雄树始花期略早于雌树,2010年雌树和雄树分别于5月28日和5月25日始花。在360 m × 660 m研究样地内种群性比为0.17,卡方检验表明种群性比显著偏离1∶1(P<0.001)。雌树和雄树年平均生长量分别为0.78 mm和0.83 mm。因此,在树枝水平、植株水平以及种群水平上,雌雄异株树种鼠李的营养生长和生殖生长不存在平衡关系。推断鼠李雌树能够通过光合过程获得更多生物量来满足其生殖和营养生长过程需要。     

荒漠草原人工柠条林对冠下草本植物群落的保育作用

以宁夏盐池县荒漠草原人工柠条（Caragana intermedia）林为研究对象,分别选取柠条林冠下东侧（SE）,冠下西侧（SW）及带间（Gap）为研究样地,从群落水平探讨柠条对冠下草本植物群落结构、物种多样性及功能群分布的影响。结果表明：（1）在3种微生境中均鉴定出12种植物,SW以蒙古冰草为优势种,SE以蒙古冰草和中亚白草为优势种,Gap则以蒙古冰草和牛枝子为优势种。（2）与Gap相比,SW和SE植物群落的平均高度分别增加了41.06%和81.75%,地上生物量分别增加了40.88%和38.73%。SW和SE中,禾本科植物地上生物量分别占地上总生物量的67.10%和58.40%,显著高于Gap （P<0.05）。（3）柠条冠层效应使得草本植物的物种丰富度指数增加,但Shannon-Winner指数、Simpson指数和Pielou指数显著差异（P>0.05）,变化范围分别为1.620-1.756、0.701-0.730和0.775-0.878。（4）冗余分析表明：土壤温度、空气相对湿度及土壤有机碳是影响草本植物物种多样性及生物量的主要因子,解释量分别为42.70%,11.70%和8.80%。研究表明,柠条对冠下草本植物群落尤其是禾本科植物具有一定的保育作用,该效应的产生主要是由于柠条冠下微气候及土壤环境因子的改善为草本植物的生长发育提供了有利条件。柠条对草本植物的保育作用对荒漠草原生态环境的保护与恢复具有重要意义。     

长白山阔叶红松林草本植物多样性季节动态及空间分布格局

基于长白山阔叶红松林25 hm²样地(CBS)一年内草本植物的4次调查数据,对样地内草本植物多样性的季节动态及其空间分布格局进行了初步分析.结果表明：样地内草本植物物种组成丰富,共有102种,隶属于40科84属.Shannon多样性指数、Simpson多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数分别为3.52、0.96和0.75;物种组成的季节变化比较明显,以初夏物种数最多;各季节的Shannon多样性指数、Simpson多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数的变化较大,个体数量从早春到秋季逐渐减少;物种丰富度和多度的空间分布连续性较差,主要表现为斑块性分布,说明草本植物对微环境有较强的依赖性;坡向是影响物种丰富度和多度的主要因素, 在早春、夏末和秋季,不同坡向的物种丰富度和多度差异极显著(P<0.01),且早春阶段北坡和东坡的丰富度高于南坡和西坡,夏末和秋季则相反.     

广西马山岩溶植被年龄序列的群落特征

石漠化地区是我国西南植被恢复和生态重建的重点和难点地区。通过对马山县岩溶植被年龄序列(石漠、草丛、灌丛、小乔林和成熟林)5个演替阶段15个样地(20 m×50 m)的系统取样调查,研究了停止人为干扰后岩溶植被的更新、演替及群落特征的变化。结果表明:沿石漠、草丛、灌丛、小乔林、成熟林的顺向演替发展,群落各层次的覆盖度存在显著差异(P<0.05),乔木层覆盖度以成熟林最大,灌木层覆盖度以小乔林最高,而草本层覆盖度以灌丛最高;重要值≥10.00的科、属、种最大值出现在小乔林;不同演替阶段群落不同层次的结构明显不同,乔木层的植物密度存在显著差异(P<0.05),以小乔林最高;成熟林灌木层的植物密度显著低于小乔林和草丛(P<0.05),与石漠和灌丛差异不显著(P>0.05);森林阶段草本层的植物密度显著低于灌丛、草丛和石漠(P<0.05);群落的物种丰富度随着顺向演替发展而增加,但不同演替阶段不同层次的丰富度变化不同,草本层的物种丰富度以草丛阶段最大,成熟林最小;灌木层的丰富度以小乔林阶段最大,石漠阶段最小;乔木层的丰富度以小乔林最大,成熟林有所下降;不同演替阶段群落草本层的生态优势度无显著差异(P>0.05),而灌木层和乔木层均存在显著差异(P<0.05)。岩溶植被恢复可分为恶劣物理环境阈值和顶极种缺乏的阈值两个阶段,每一个阶段内由不同功能特征的驱动种和关键种决定着群落的演替方向和速度,越接近演替后期,顶极种越丰富,群落驱动种和关键种向高级、大型和长寿植物发展的趋势越明显。     

物种组成对高寒草甸植被冠层降雨截留容量的影响

高寒草甸退化减少地上生物量、叶面积指数(LAI),因而减少冠层降雨截留容量(S)。但是,未有研究评价物种组成改变对S的影响。用水浸泡法和水量平衡法研究青藏高原高寒草甸3个不同退化阶段下(未退化、轻度退化、中度退化)的S变化规律,并评价物种组成改变对S的影响。结果表明:高寒草甸退化显著减少S(P<0.05)。在未退化、轻度退化、中度退化的高寒草甸,水浸泡法测得的S分别为0.612 mm,0.289 mm 和0.217 mm;水量平衡法测得的S分别为0.979 mm,0.493 mm 和0.419 mm。物种组成改变对S的影响表现为:随着高寒草甸的3个不同退化阶段,S减少的幅度先大于后小于LAI减少的幅度。原因是:(1)在未退化的草甸,鹅绒委陵菜(Potentilla arserina)的叶面积占有显著优势,占总叶面积的31.18%;在轻度退化的草甸,禾本科植物(Graminoid)的叶面积占有显著优势,占总叶面积的44.41%,而鹅绒委陵菜是稀有种,仅占总叶面积的3.76%;在中度退化的草甸,鹅绒委陵菜的叶面积占有显著优势,占总叶面积的19.91%;(2)鹅绒委陵菜的叶单位面积吸附水量(S_L)是禾本科植物的大约2.5倍。     

物种多样性及生物量与地下水位的关系——以海流兔河流域为例

以3条样带上117块植被群落调查样方为基础资料,研究了海流兔河流域植被物种多样性及生物量与地下水位之间的关系。结果表明:1)地下水位高低及地貌类型均会影响草本层植物群落组成及优势种构成。滩地样地中,随地下水位降低,优势草本的更替方向为寸草,芨芨草,马蔺,狗尾草,碱茅;沙坡样地中,优势草本的更替方向为大针茅,沙鞭,沙蓬,沙打旺。2)地下水位为1.5 m时是草本植物群落生长发育最适宜区域,物种多样性及丰富度达到最大,而灌木层物种多样性及丰富度随地下水位下降呈现波动变化的特征;当地下水位埋深小于5.0 m时,草本层物种多样性及丰富度明显高于灌木层,在地下水位埋深大于5.0 m时,草本层物种多样性指数开始出现低于灌木层的现象。3)草本植物多样性及丰富度和生物量之间关联性不强,滩地样地中,草本层地上生物量及地下生物量在地下水位为1.8 m时具有最大值,但植物群落结构较为单一;沙坡样地中,地上生物量最大值出现在地下水位为5.0 m的区域内,而地下生物量最大值出现在地下水位为3.5 m时。综上,物种多样性、地上及地下生物量与地下水位都不是简单的线性关系,而是有一个最适水位;高于或低于这个最适水位,多样性和生物量都会下降。     

草原化荒漠草本植物对人工施加磷素的响应

荒漠地区因土壤水分和养分含量较低而限制了植被的生长,且磷素对于植物的生长具有重要的作用。利用人工施加磷素的控制实验研究了不同磷肥处理对荒漠区草本植物物种丰富度、多度、盖度、生物量、植物株高等群落学特征的影响。实验表明：物种丰富度和多度在施肥量分别为12.5,25和50 g?m-2的梯度下,施肥当年和第二年相较于对照均有所降低,且施肥梯度越高,降低越明显;植被盖度和地上部生物量则在两年的实验中表现出相似的规律,在不同的施肥梯度下均有所提高,高肥处理对其促进作用更大,且在降水充足的07年高于降水较少的08年,说明水肥耦合更有助于群落生产力的提高;优势种株高则对磷素的响应存在种间差异,年际间的差异也较大,这或许与荒漠植物本身特有的生物学特性有关。     

Small mammal abundance in Mediterranean post-fire habitats: a role for predators?

We studied patterns of small mammal abundance and species richness in post-fire habitats by sampling 33 plots (225 m² each) representing different stages of vegetation recovery after fire. Small mammal abundance was estimated by live trapping during early spring 1999 and vegetation structure was sampled by visual estimation at the same plots. Recently–burnt areas were characterised by shrubby and herbaceous vegetation with low structural variability, and unburnt areas were characterised by well developed forest cover with high structural complexity. Small mammal abundance and species richness decreased with time elapsed since the last fire (from 5 to at least 50 years), and these differences were associated to the decreasing cover of short shrubs as the post-fire succession of plant communities advanced. However, relationships between vegetation structure and small mammals differed among areas burned in different times, with weak or negative relationship in recently burnt areas and positive and stronger relationship in unburnt areas. Furthermore, the abundance of small mammals was larger than expected from vegetation structure in plots burned recently whereas the contrary pattern was found in unburned areas. We hypothesised that the pattern observed could be related to the responses of small mammal predators to changes in vegetation and landscape structure promoted by fire. Fire-related fragmentation could have promoted the isolation of forest predators (owls and carnivores) in unburned forest patches, a fact that could have produced a higher predation pressure for small mammals. Conversely, small mammal populations would have been enhanced in early post-fire stages by lower predator numbers combined with better predator protection in areas covered by resprouting woody vegetation.     

Response of plant species and life form diversity to variable fire histories and biomass in the jarrah forest of south‐west Australia

Frequent fires reduce the abundance of woody plant species and favour herbaceous species. Plant species richness also tends to increase with decreasing vegetation biomass and cover due to reduced competition for light. We assessed the influence of variable fire histories and site biomass on the following diversity measures: woody and herbaceous species richness, overall species richness and evenness, and life form evenness (i.e. the relative abundance or dominance among six herbaceous and six woody plant life forms), across 16 mixed jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and marri (Corymbia calophylla) forest stands in south‐west Australia. Fire frequency was defined as the total number of fires over a 30‐year period. Overall species richness and species evenness did not vary with fire frequency or biomass. However, there were more herbaceous species (particularly rushes, geophytes and herbs) where there were fewer shrubs and low biomass, suggesting that more herbaceous species coexist where dominance by shrubs is low. Frequently burnt plots also had lower number and abundance of shrub species. Life form evenness was also higher at both high fire frequency and low biomass sites. These results suggest that the impact of fire frequency and biomass on vegetation composition is mediated by local interactions among different life forms rather than among individual species. Our results demonstrate that measuring the variation in the relative diversity of different woody and herbaceous life forms is crucial to understanding the compositional response of forests and other structurally complex vegetation communities to changes in disturbance regime such as increased fire frequency.     

The response of Mediterranean herbaceous community to soil disturbance by native wild boars

Native wild boar (Sus scrofa lybicus) populations in Israel increased in the last decades, and their rooting activity presents an apparent severe disturbance that may affect herbaceous plant communities. We studied the extent of wild boar rooting and its effect on herbaceous vegetation in an east Mediterranean garrigue. We compared the effects of rooting soil disturbance (RSD) between summer, winter, and RSD-free control plots on herbaceous plants. RSD affected four percent of the area covered by herbaceous vegetation in winter and spring, and only 2 % in summer. Summer RSD increased herbaceous species diversity in the following spring by decreasing the abundance of the dominant species, but it did not affect total herbaceous biomass. Winter RSD lowered herbaceous biomass but did not affect herbaceous plant abundance or diversity. We conclude that Mediterranean herbaceous plant community appears to be resilient to RSD, causing only minor changes in species composition and small decrease of their biomass. The contrast between the relatively large extent of wild boars RSD, and its limited impact on the herbaceous plant community, can be attributed to the long mutual evolutionary history of wild boars and these vegetation communities.     

Fire-type and forestry management effects on the early postfire vegetation dynamics of a Pinus pinaster woodland

The objective of this research was to study the effects of type of fire, prefire-, and postfire-management on the postfire vegetation dynamics of a Pinus pinaster woodland in Central Spain, burned at 15 yr of age. The effects of type of fire (crown-, or surface-fire), prefire-management (thinning out of trees and clearing of brush or no such actions) and postfire-management (removal of burned trees one year after the fire or no such action) on the postfire vegetation were studied during the first three years after the fire. Herbaceous plant abundance, species richness, and diversity, as well as abundance, growth and density of the dominant shrub species (Cistus ladanifer) were measured during the first three years after the fire. Our results show that the effects of the type of fire on the vegetation were minimal. Prefire-management effects were significant on the abundance of herbaceous species, mainly during the second and third year after fire, in particular for the Leguminosae species. Prefire managed areas were more diverse in species, and produced higher plant biomass than unmanaged areas. Postfire-management effects on the shrubs and herbs were minimal, except for the Leguminosae, which increased their cover where the trees had been removed. Plant dynamics were marked by the interaction between prefire-management and fire-type through the dynamics of the shrub cover. On most occasions, plots that resulted in lower cover of C. ladanifer had greater abundance of herbaceous plants and, in particular, of the Leguminosae. In general, our results show that irrespective of fire-type, prefire-, or postfire-management all areas tended to be very similar in their vegetation three years after the fire.     

Response of ants and spiders to prescribed fire in oak woodlands of California

Conservation managers of oak woodlands have been reintroducing fire both as an ecological process per se and to assist in restoring native plant communities. To increase our understanding of the impacts of reintroduced fire on ground-dwelling invertebrates we examined the response of ants and spiders to a late season (autumn) prescribed fire conducted in a blue oak (Quercus douglasii) woodland ecosystem in northern California. Twelve 100 m × 100 m plots were established, six plots received a burn treatment and the remaining six plots were unburned controls. Ants and spiders were sampled using pitfall traps left open continuously and collected approximately every 32 days. Sampling was conducted over a year, consisting of four pre-burn and nine post-burn collections. Abundance was analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA, which showed seed-harvester ants decreased significantly in the two months following the fire. Total spider abundance also showed a significant decrease in two months, although this did not occur immediately after the burn. One spider hunting guild, the ‘diurnal ambush’ group (Thomisidae) remained suppressed for up to nine months. Correspondence analysis measures of ant species abundance with environmental and vegetation variables (percent rock, bare ground, plant species richness and height of herbaceous vegetation) were higher than expected by chance, which assists in explaining some of the responses. Findings from this study revealed that the reintroduction of autumn burns has modest and short-term effect on the invertebrates sampled, suggesting that late season fires are compatible with other conservation goals for oak woodland ecosystems.     

Effects of Prescribed Fire on Shinnery Oak ( Quercus havardii) Plant Communities in Western Oklahoma

Changes in structural and compositional attributes of shinnery oak (Quercus havardii Rydb.) plant communities have occurred in the twentieth century. These changes may in part relate to altered fire regimes. Our objective was to document effects of prescribed fire in fall (October), winter (February), and spring (April) on plant composition. Three study sites were located in western Oklahoma; each contained 12, 60 × 30‐m plots that were designated, within site, to be seasonally burned, annually burned, or left unburned. Growing season canopy cover for herbaceous and woody species was estimated in 1997–1998 (post‐treatment). At one year post‐fire, burning in any season reduced shrub cover, and spring burns reduced cover most. Winter and annual fires increased cover of rhizomatous tallgrasses, whereas burning in any season decreased little bluestem cover. Perennial forbs increased with fall and winter fire. Shrub stem density increased with fire in any season. Communities returned rapidly to pre‐burn composition with increasing time since fire. Fire effects on herbaceous vegetation appear to be manifested through increases in bare ground and reduction of overstory shrub dominance. Prescribed fire can be used as a tool in restoration efforts to increase or maintain within and between community plant diversity. Our data suggest that some plant species may require or benefit from fire in specific seasons. Additional research is needed to determine the long‐term effects of repeated fire over time.     

Linear relationships between aboveground biomass and plant cover in low open herbaceous vegetation

Abstract. Four herbaceous plant species of a sand dune area and several herb species of an open early‐successional patch were investigated for the occurrence of a simple relationship between aboveground biomass and plant cover. Without exception linear regressions of aboveground biomass on plant cover were found with slope factors depending on the growth form of the species. These results suggest that (early) growth of herbaceous plants in low and (temporarily) open vegetation is not affected by possible constraints caused by a decreasing ratio of plant cover to aboveground biomass. The obtained linear relationships could be used for rapid non‐destructive determination of aboveground biomass by image‐analysis of cover data.     

Influence of tree cover on herbaceous layer development and carbon and water fluxes in a Portuguese cork-oak woodland

Facilitation and competition between different vegetation layers may have a large impact on small-scale vegetation development. We propose that this should not only influence overall herbaceous layer yield but also species distribution and understory longevity, and hence the ecosystems carbon uptake capacity especially during spring. We analyzed the effects of trees on microclimate and soil properties (water and nitrate content) as well as the development of an herbaceous community layer regarding species composition, aboveground biomass and net water and carbon fluxes in a cork-oak woodland in Portugal, between April and November 2011.The presence of trees caused a significant reduction in photosynthetic active radiation of 35 mol m⁻² d⁻¹ and in soil temperature of 5 °C from April to October. At the same time differences in species composition between experimental plots located in open areas and directly below trees could be observed: species composition and abundance of functional groups became increasingly different between locations from mid April onwards. During late spring drought adapted native forbs had significantly higher cover and biomass in the open area while cover and biomass of grasses and nitrogen fixing forbs was highest under the trees. Further, evapotranspiration and net carbon exchange decreased significantly stronger under the tree crowns compared to the open during late spring and the die back of herbaceous plants occurred earlier and faster under trees. This was most likely caused by interspecific competition for water between trees and herbaceous plants, despite the more favorable microclimate conditions under the trees during the onset of summer drought.     

Effects of Prescribed Burning on Herbaceous and Woody Vegetation in Northern Lowland Meadows

Abstract Spring burning of sedge‐grass meadows in the Slave River Lowlands (SRL), Northwest Territories, Canada was applied between 1992 and 1998 to reduce shrub encroachment and enhance Bison bison (bison) habitat, although the impact of fire on preferred bison forage was unknown before management. In the summer of 1998 we conducted a study in the Hook Lake area of the SRL to test the effect of burn frequency (unburned, burned once, or burned three times since 1992) on herbaceous plant community composition and Salix spp. L. (willow) shrub vigor. Plant species abundance, litter biomass, soil pH, and depth of the organic soil horizon were measured in 300 1‐m² quadrats nested within 30 1,000‐m² plots in both burned and unburned dry meadows. To test the relationship between frequency and willow vigor, all willow shrubs within the plots were assigned a vigor score from I (dead) to IV (flourishing). The spring burns appear to have reduced willow vigor; however, shrub survival remained high (76%) on the most frequently burned meadows. Ordination plots resulting from canonical correspondence analysis suggest that multiple spring burns influenced plant community composition in dry meadow areas and that less palatable bison forage species (e.g., Carex aenea Fern. and Juncus balticus L.) were correlated with a regime of three spring burns. Our results suggest that frequent spring fires in the Hook Lake area have only a small negative effect on willow cover but may reduce the abundance of primary bison forage plants compared with less frequently burned meadows.