The impact of a prescribed burn on introduced Lehmann lovegrass versus native vegetation in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

Prescribed burning has been suggested as a method to prevent shrub encroachment on desert grasslands. A concern for range managers is the prevalence of introduced African lovegrasses (Eragrostis spp.). These exotic grasses may compromise the effectiveness of fire as a range management tool in these areas due to their fire tolerance. In this study we examined the response of an established patch of Lehmann lovegrass to a prescribed burn. While Lehmann lovegrass was not adversely affected by the prescribed burn, all of the native grasses were compromised to some degree.