DOI: 10.5061/dryad.b1q0v
title: Data from: Deterministic and stochastic processes lead to divergence in plant communities 25 years after the 1988 Yellowstone fires

description: Young, recently burned forests are increasingly widespread throughout
 western North America, but forest development after large wildfires is not
 fully understood, especially regarding effects of variable burn severity,
 environmental heterogeneity, and changes in drivers over time. We followed
 development of subalpine forests after the 1988 Yellowstone fires by
 periodically re-sampling permanent plots established soon after the fires.
 We asked two questions about patterns and processes over the past 25
 years: (1) Are plant species richness and community composition converging
 or diverging across variation in elevation, soils, burn severity, and
 post-fire lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) density? (2) What
 are the major controls on post-fire species composition, and has the
 relative importance of controls changed over time? For question 1, we
 sampled 10-m2 plots (n=552) distributed among three geographic areas that
 differ in elevation and substrate; plots spanned the spectrum of fire
 severities and were re-sampled periodically from 1991-2013. For question
 2, we sampled 0.25-ha plots (n=72), broadly distributed across areas that
 burned as stand-replacing fire, in 1999 and 2012. Richness and species
 composition diverged early on between infertile low-elevation areas (lower
 richness) and more fertile high-elevation areas (greater richness).
 Richness increased rapidly for the first five years post-fire, then
 leveled off or increased only slowly thereafter. Only 6% of 227 recorded
 species were non-native. Some annuals and species with heat-stimulated
 soil seed banks were associated with severely burned sites. However, most
 post-fire species had been present before the fire; many survived as roots
 or rhizomes and regenerated rapidly by sprouting. Among the 72 plots,
 substrate, temperature, and precipitation (the abiotic template) were
 consistently important drivers of community composition in 1999 and 2012.
 Post-fire lodgepole pine abundance was not significant in 1999 but was the
 most important driving variable by 2012, with a negative effect on
 presence of most understory species, especially annuals and
 shade-intolerant herbs. Burn severity was significant in 1999 but not in
 2012, and distance to unburned forest had no influence in either year. The
 1988 fires did not fundamentally alter subalpine forest community
 assemblages in Yellowstone, and ecological memory conferred resilience to
 high-severity fire.
description: YNP postfire species
 1991-2013 metadataThis Word file explains
 the data-set contained in the associated Excel file (YNP 1991-2013 Data
 Dryad.xlsx). The data consist of all vascular plant species, locations,
 and dates, as recorded in permanent plots established soon after the 1988
 Yellowstone fires and periodically re-sampled from
 1991-2013.YNP 1991-2013 Metadata
 Dryad.docxYNP postfire species
 1991-2013 dataThis Excel file contains
 listings of all vascular plant species, locations, and dates, as recorded
 in permanent plots established soon after the 1988 Yellowstone fires and
 periodically re-sampled from 1991-2013. See the associated metadata file
 (YNP 1991-2013 Metadata Dryad.docx) for detailed
 explanation.YNP 1991-2013 Data
 Dryad.xlsxYNP postfire controls
 1999-2012 metadataThis Word file explains
 the associated data file (YNP 1999-2012 Data Dryad.xlsx). That data file
 contains listings of species recorded in extensive permanent plots sampled
 in 1999 and 2012, plus values of abiotic and biotic variables that could
 potentially influence local species composition.YNP 1999-2012 Metadata
 Dryad.docxYNP postfire controls
 1999-2012 dataThis data file contains
 listings of species recorded in extensive permanent plots sampled in 1999
 and 2012, plus values of abiotic and biotic variables that could
 potentially influence local species composition. See the associated
 metadata file (YNP 1999-2012 Metadata Dryad.docx) for detailed
 explanation.YNP 1999-2012 Data
 Dryad.xlsx