Ecophysiological Competence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Populus alba</Emphasis> L., <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fraxinus angustifolia</Emphasis> Vahl., and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crataegus monogyna</Emphasis> Jacq. Used in Plantations for the Recovery of Riparian Vegetation

In many semi-arid environments of Mediterranean ecosystems, white poplar (Populus alba L.) is the dominant riparian tree and has been used to recover degraded areas, together with other native species, such as ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.). We addressed three main objectives: (1) to gain an improved understanding of some specific relationships between environmental parameters and leaf-level physiological factors in these riparian forest species, (2) to compare the leaf-level physiology of these riparian species to each other, and (3) to compare leaf-level responses within native riparian plots to adjacent restoration plots, in order to evaluate the competence of the plants used for the recovery of those degraded areas. We found significant differences in physiological performance between mature and young white poplars in the natural stand and among planted species. The net assimilation and transpiration rates, diameter, and height of white poplar plants were superior to those of ash and hawthorn. Ash and hawthorn showed higher water use efficiency than white poplar. White poplar also showed higher levels of stomatal conductance, behaving as a fast-growing, water-consuming species with a more active gas exchange and ecophysiological competence than the other species used for restoration purposes. In the restoration zones, the planted white poplars had higher rates of net assimilation and water use efficiency than the mature trees in the natural stand. We propose the use of white poplar for the rapid restoration of riparian vegetation in semi-arid Mediterranean environments. Ash and hawthorn can also play a role as accompanying species for the purpose of biodiversity.     

Introduced Species and Management of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nothofagus/Austrocedrus</Emphasis> Forest

Isla Victoria (Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina), a large island dominated by native Nothofagus and Austrocedrus forest, has old plantations of many introduced tree species, some of which are famed invaders of native ecosystems elsewhere. There are also large populations of introduced deer and shrubs that may interact in a complex way with the introduced trees, as well as a recently arrived population of wild boar. Long-standing concern that the introduced trees will invade and transform native forest may be unwarranted, as there is little evidence of progressive invasion, even close to the plantations, despite over 50 years of opportunity. Introduced and native shrubs allow scattered introduced trees to achieve substantial size in abandoned pastures, but in almost all areas neither the trees nor the shrubs appear to be spreading beyond these sites. These shrub communities may be stable rather than successional, but the technology for restoring them to native forest is uncertain and probably currently impractical. Any attempt to remove the exotic tree seedlings and saplings from native forest would probably create the very conditions that would favor colonization by exotic plants rather than native trees, while simply clear-cutting the plantations would be unlikely to lead to regeneration of Nothofagus or Austrocedrus. The key to maintaining native forest is preventing catastrophic fire, as several introduced trees and shrubs would be favored over native dominant trees in recolonization. Deer undoubtedly interact with both native and introduced trees and shrubs, but their net effect on native forest is not yet clear, and specific management of deer beyond the current hunting by staff is unwarranted, at least if preventing tree invasion is the goal. The steep terrain and shallow soil make the recently arrived boar a grave threat to the native forest. Eradication is probably feasible and should be attempted quickly.     

Cumulative Impacts of Dock Shading on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spartina alterniflora</Emphasis> in South Carolina Estuaries

Salt marshes dominated by Spartina alterniflora and the associated networks of tidal creeks that drain them are characteristic geographical features of southeastern estuaries, important nursery habitat areas, and preferred sites for residential development. As the size of the coastal population increases, so has the number of requests for dock permits. With each new request for a dock permit, public concerns about the cumulative environmental impacts of dock proliferation on the coastal environment have increased. The objective of this particular study was to evaluate the impacts of shading by dock structures on stem densities of S. alterniflora in South Carolina coastal marshes. Shading impacts under individual docks were extrapolated to the tidal creek (local), county, and statewide scales. Dock structures were sampled both under and next to the walkway in the Charleston Harbor area of South Carolina. The density of S. alterniflora under docks was significantly lower than that which occurred next to the docks (i.e., 5 m away) for the short-form, tall-form, and both forms combined. We estimated that shading effects from dock structures in South Carolina decreased the stem density of S. alterniflora by 71%. Dock shading effects were small when evaluated from the perspective of the amount of marsh that occurs within specific tidal creeks (0.03–0.72%), in coastal counties at a maximum dock length (0.01–0.98%), or statewide (0.01–0.13%) at a maximum dock length. However, approximately 7,000 docks have been permitted over the last decade, resulting in a loss of salt marsh equivalent to 60 ha.1Denise M. Sangers present address: Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, 1362 McMillan Avenue, Suite 400 Charleston, South Carolina 29405, USA. 2 A. Frederick Hollands present address: Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29412, USA.     

Periodical monitoring with lichen, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaeophyscia hispidula</Emphasis> (Ach.) Moberg in Dehradun city,Uttarakhand, India

Nine heavy metals were estimated in lichen, Phaeophyscia hispidula (Ach.) Moberg, collected from 12 different sites of Dehradun, capital city, to analyze the air quality of Uttarakhand. Total metal concentration was the highest at Mohkampur Railway Crossing, Hardwar Road (42,505 μg g⁻¹). Dela Ram Chowk, located in the center of the city, also had higher metal concentration, 34,317 μg g⁻¹, with maximum concentration of Pb at 12,433 μg g⁻¹, while Nalapani forest area had minimum total metal concentration (1,873 μg g⁻¹) as well as minimum Pb level at 66.6 μg g⁻¹, indicating anthropogenic activity, mainly vehicular activity, responsible for the increase in metal concentration in the ambient environment. In comparison with the earlier years 2004 and 2006, air pollution as indicated by similar lichen shows a considerable increase in the total metal concentration (especially Pb) in the ambient air of Dehradun city, which may be attributed to exponential rise in the traffic activity in the last 5 years.     

Non-native Species <Emphasis Type="Italic">DO</Emphasis> Threaten the Natural Environment!

Sagoff [Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 18 (2005), 215–236] argues, against growing empirical evidence, that major environmental impacts of non-native species are unproven. However, many such impacts, including extinctions of both island and continental species, have both been demonstrated and judged by the public to be harmful. Although more public attention has been focused on non-native animals than non-native plants, the latter more often cause ecosystem-wide impacts. Increased regulation of introduction of non-native species is, therefore, warranted, and, contra Sagoff’s assertions, invasion biologists have recently developed methods that greatly aid prediction of which introduced species will harm the environment and thus enable more efficient regulation. The fact that introduced species may increase local biodiversity in certain instances has not been shown to result in desired changes in ecosystem function. In other locales, they decrease biodiversity, as they do globally.     

Morphological and anatomical effects of crude oil on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pistia stratiotes</Emphasis>

Fresh whole plants of Pistia stratiotes were exposed to varying doses of crude oil (0–100 ppm) for 28 days at normal temperature of 30 ± 2°C. Samples were taken weekly during this period for determination of changes in leaf area, root length, number of leaves, and number of sprouts. The cross-section of one terminal end of the major roots and cellular distribution of the meristematic region were also examined. The results show that crude oil was toxic to the plant at all concentrations in all investigated parameters for as low as 10 ppm. Association was also observed between crude oil toxicity and certain metals inherent in the crude oil such as manganese and lead. Cell shape disruptions, changes in mitotic indices, and the distortion of cellular anatomy and structure at the apical region also characterized the presence of crude oil in the environment of P. stratiotes. P. stratiotes may not be a good bio-accumulator of crude oil but may be used for the detection of pollution.     

Nitrous Oxide Emission from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deyeuxia angustifolia</Emphasis> Freshwater Marsh in Northeast China

Here we report N₂O emission results for freshwater marshes isolated from human activities at the Sanjiang Experimental Station of Marsh Wetland Ecology in northeastern China. These results are important for us to understand N₂O emission in natural processes in undisturbed freshwater marsh. Two adjacent plots of Deyeuxia angustifolia freshwater marsh with different water regimes, i.e., seasonally waterlogged (SW) and not- waterlogged (NW), were chosen for gas sampling, and soil and biomass studies. Emissions of N₂O from NW plots were obviously higher than from the SW plots. Daily maximum N₂O flux was observed at 13 o′clock and the seasonal maximum occurred in end July to early August. The annual average N₂O emissions from the NW marsh were 4.45 μg m⁻² h⁻¹ in 2002 and 6.85 μg m⁻² h⁻¹ in 2003 during growing season. The SW marsh was overall a sink for N₂O with corresponding annual emissions of −1.00 μg m⁻² h⁻¹ for 2002 and −0.76 μg m⁻² h⁻¹ for 2003. There were significant correlations between N₂O fluxes and temperatures of both air and 5-cm-depth soil. The range of soil redox potential 200–400 mV appeared to be optimum for N₂O flux. Besides temperature and plant biomass, the freeze–thaw process is also an important factor for N₂O emission burst. Our results show that the freshwater marsh isolated from human activity in northeastern China is not a major source of N₂O.     

Integrative Management of Commercialized Wild Mushroom: A Case Study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thelephora ganbajun</Emphasis> in Yunnan,Southwest China

The management of wild mushroom is interdisciplinary in nature, whereby the biophysical considerations have to be incorporated into the context of a wide range of social, economic and political concerns. However, to date, little documentation exists illustrating an interdisciplinary approach to management of wild mushrooms. Moreover, the empirical case studies necessary for developing applicable and practical methods are even more rare. This paper adopted an interdisciplinary approach combining participatory methods to improve the habitat management of Thelephora ganbajun, an endemic and one of the most economically valuable mushroom species in Southwest China. The paper documents an empirical case of how an interdisciplinary approach facilitated the development of a scientific basis for policy and management practice, and built the local capacity to create, adopt and sustain the new rules and techniques of mushroom management. With this integrative perspective, a sustainable management strategy was developed, which was found not only technically feasible for farmers, but also acceptable to the government from an ecological and policy-related perspective. More importantly, this approach has greatly contributed to raising the income of farmers. The paper highlights how the integration of biophysical and socioeconomic factors and different knowledge systems provided a holistic perspective to problem diagnosis and resolution, which helped to cope with conventional scientific dilemmas. Finally, it concludes that the success of this interdisciplinary approach is significant in the context of policy decentralization and reform for incorporating indigenous knowledge and local participation in forest management.     

Habitat Fragmentation in Arid Zones: A Case Study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Linaria nigricans</Emphasis> Under Land Use Changes (SE Spain)

Habitat fragmentation due to human activities is one of the most important causes of biodiversity loss. In Mediterranean areas the species have co-evolved with traditional farming, which has recently been replaced for more severe and aggressive practices. We use a methodological approach that enables the evaluation of the impact that agriculture and land use changes have for the conservation of sensitive species. As model species, we selected Linaria nigricans, a critically endangered plant from arid and semiarid ecosystems in south-eastern Spain. A chronosequence of the evolution of the suitable habitat for the species over more than 50 years has been reconstructed and several geometrical fragmentation indices have been calculated. A new index called fragmentation cadence (FC) is proposed to quantify the historical evolution of habitat fragmentation regardless of the habitat size. The application of this index has provided objective forecasting of the changes of each remnant population of L. nigricans. The results indicate that greenhouses and construction activities (mainly for tourist purposes) exert a strong impact on the populations of this endangered species. The habitat depletion showed peaks that constitute the destruction of 85% of the initial area in only 20 years for some populations of L. nigricans. According to the forecast established by the model, a rapid extinction could take place and some populations may disappear as early as the year 2030. Fragmentation-cadence analysis can help identify population units of primary concern for its conservation, by means of the adoption of improved management and regulatory measures.     

Primary Productivity and the Impacts of the Exotic Weed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eupatorium Glandulosum</Emphasis> in a Montane Grassland of Garhwal Himalaya

Summary The biomass and productivity of a montane grassland of Garhwal Himalaya were estimated with the objectives to compare these values of the dominant exotic species, Eupatorium glandulosum HBK. (Asteraceae) with other species, and to compare the sites more dominated by this species with other study sites. The effect of dominance of this species on other species was undertaken because of its continuous spread in the grasslands of the Garhwal Himalaya causing replacement of some native grasses and economically important herbaceous plants. Out of six study sites, SW₁, SW₂, and NE₁ were more dominated by Eupatorium glandulosum. Total net primary productivity (TNP) ranged from 1528.5 to 2163.4 g m⁻² yr⁻¹. Eupatorium glandulosum showed individual highest biomass on all the study sites, and the sites more dominated by this species showed higher values of primary productivity, thereby reducing the biomass and production of other species on these sites.     

Comparison of Four <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sesbania</Emphasis> Species to Remediate Pb/Zn and Cu Mine Tailings

A 6-month greenhouse pot trial was performed, aimed at screening appropriate Sesbania species for remediation of Pb/Zn and Cu mine tailings. Performances of young seedlings of four Sesbania species (S. cannabina, S. grandiflora, S. rostrata, and S. sesban) were compared with and without inoculation of rhizobia. Seedlings were planted in two types of tailings amended with garden soil or garden soil mixed with river sediment. The results indicated that inoculated plants generally produced a higher biomass than samples without inoculation. Pb/Zn mine tailings containing rather high concentrations of total and water-soluble Cu, Pb, and Zn were toxic to plant growth compared with Cu mine tailings, according to the growth performance of the four species. Sesbania sesban and S. rostrata showed superior growth performance, compared to the other two species. Thus, they can serve as pioneer species to modify the barren environment, by providing organic matter and essential nutrients such as nitrogen, upon decomposition, in a relatively short period of time. This is especially true for S. rostrata, which is an annual plant that forms both stem and root nodules. However, a longer-term field trial should be conducted to investigate if superior species can beneficially modify the habitat for the growth of subsequent plant communities.     

Perceptions of Ranchers About Medusahead (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Taeniatherum caput-medusae</Emphasis> (L.) Nevski) Management on Sagebrush Steppe Rangelands

Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski) is an exotic annual grass invading rangelands in the western United States. Medusahead is a serious management concern because it decreases biodiversity, reduces livestock forage production, and degrades the ecological function of rangelands. Despite the obvious importance of ranchers as partners in preventing and managing medusahead in rangelands, little is known about their perceptions and behaviors concerning medusahead management. We present the results of a survey of ranchers operating on sagebrush steppe rangeland in a three-county area in southeast Oregon encompassing over 7.2 million ha. The primary objective of this research was to determine if the presence of medusahead on a ranch influenced its operator’s perceptions and behaviors concerning invasive plant control and prevention. Ranchers operating on medusahead-infested rangeland were more likely to indicate increased awareness and concern about medusahead and the potential for its continued expansion. Ranchers operating on rangeland invaded by medusahead were also more likely to indicate use of measures to prevent the spread of medusahead and other invasive plants on rangeland, interest in educational opportunities concerning invasive annual grass management, and plans for controlling invasive annual grasses in the future. This study revealed an alarming trend in which individuals are less likely to implement important prevention measures and participate in education opportunities to improve their knowledge of invasive plants until they directly experience the negative consequences of invasion. Information campaigns on invasive plants and their impacts may rectify this problem; however, appropriate delivery methods are critical for success. Web- or computer-based invasive plant information and tools were largely unpopular among ranchers, whereas traditional forms of information delivery including brochures/pamphlets and face-to-face interaction were preferred. However, in the future web- or computer-based information may become more popular as ranchers become more familiar with them.     

Across Space <Emphasis Type="Italic">and</Emphasis> Time: Social Responses to Large-Scale Biophysical Systems

The conceptual rubric of ecosystem management has been widely discussed and deliberated in conservation biology, environmental policy, and land/resource management. In this paper, I argue that two critical aspects of the ecosystem management concept require greater attention in policy and practice. First, although emphasis has been placed on the “space” of systems, the “time”—or rates of change—associated with biophysical and social systems has received much less consideration. Second, discussions of ecosystem management have often neglected the temporal disconnects between changes in biophysical systems and the response of social systems to management issues and challenges. The empirical basis of these points is a case study of the “Crown of the Continent Ecosystem,” an international transboundary area of the Rocky Mountains that surrounds Glacier National Park (USA) and Waterton Lakes National Park (Canada). This project assessed the experiences and perspectives of 1) middle- and upper-level government managers responsible for interjurisdictional cooperation, and 2) environmental nongovernment organizations with an international focus. I identify and describe 10 key challenges to increasing the extent and intensity of transboundary cooperation in land/resource management policy and practice. These issues are discussed in terms of their political, institutional, cultural, information-based, and perceptual elements. Analytic techniques include a combination of environmental history, semistructured interviews with 48 actors, and text analysis in a systematic qualitative framework. The central conclusion of this work is that the rates of response of human social systems must be better integrated with the rates of ecological change. This challenge is equal to or greater than the well-recognized need to adapt the spatial scale of human institutions to large-scale ecosystem processes and transboundary wildlife.     

Role of physiographic factors in distribution of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies pindrow</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Silver Fir</Emphasis>) along an altitudinal gradient in Himalayan temperate forests

We have made an attempt to understand the significance of physiographic factors viz., altitude, aspect, slope and soil characteristics in determining the structure, composition, growth behavior and distribution of Himalayan Silver Fir (Abies pindrow Spach.) through a comparative analysis of two temperate forests. The occurrence of highest density (370 and 225 ind/ha), importance value index (213.10 and 190.60) and total basal cover (TBC; 95.72 and 51.15 m²/ha) values along with the availability of higher organic carbon (6.53 and 4.47%), nitrogen (N; 0.73 and 0.44%) and potassium (K; 621 and 319 ppm) contents in the soils just beneath the hilltops (2,650–2,800 and 2,550–2,650 m asl), on steeper slopes (45°–50° and 42°–45°) and North-East aspects have revealed better growth of A. pindrow on both the sites. Stem density positively correlated with TBC (0.771), Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′; 0.879), OC (0.601), N (0.758) and K (0.752), whereas TBC has shown significant positive relationship with H′ (0.894), K (0.793) and N (0.716). Similarly, H′ has also shown significant positive correlation with slope (0.721), K (0.855) and N (0.791). Interestingly, positive correlation of altitude with stem density (0.557) and of slope with TBC (0.608) was noticed in the distribution of A. pindrow individuals.     

A GIS-Based Multicriteria Evaluation for Aiding Risk Management <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus pinaster</Emphasis> Ait. Forests: A Case Study in Corsican Island,Western Mediterranean Region

Forest management can benefit from decision support tools, including GIS-based multicriteria decision-aiding approach. In the Mediterranean region, Pinus pinaster forests play a very important role in biodiversity conservation and offer many socioeconomic benefits. However, the conservation of this species is affected by the increase in forest fires and the expansion of Matsucoccus feytaudi. This paper proposes a methodology based on commonly available data for assessing the values and risks of P. pinaster forests and to generating maps to aid in decisions pertaining to fire and phytosanitary risk management. The criteria for assessing the values (land cover type, legislative tools for biodiversity conservation, environmental tourist sites and access routes, and timber yield) and the risks (fire and phytosanitation) of P. pinaster forests were obtained directly or by considering specific indicators, and they were subsequently aggregated by means of GIS-based multicriteria analysis. This approach was tested on the island of Corsica (France), and maps to aid in decisions pertaining to fire risk and phytosanitary risk (M. feytaudi) were obtained for P. pinaster forest management. Study results are used by the technical offices of the local administration—Corsican Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (ODARC)—for planning the conservation of P. pinaster forests with regard to fire prevention and safety and phytosanitary risks. The decision maker took part in the evaluation criteria study (weight, normalization, and classification of the values). Most suitable locations are given to target the public intervention. The methodology presented in this paper could be applied to other species and in other Mediterranean regions.     

A Paleozoological Perspective on White-Tailed Deer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Odocoileus virginianus texana</Emphasis>) Population Density and Body Size in Central Texas

Archaeological and paleontological datasets are used in conservation to add time-depth to ecology. In central Texas, several top carnivores including prehistoric Native American hunters have been extirpated or have had their historic ranges restricted, which has resulted in pest-level white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus texana) populations in some areas. Differences in body size of deer between prehistory and modernity are expected, given that a lack of predation likely has increased intraspecific competition for forage among deer, resulting in smaller body size today. In fact, modern deer from settings without harvest pressure are significantly smaller than those from harvested areas and from prehistoric deer. From a natural history perspective, this research highlights potential evolutionary causes and effects of top-predator removal on deer populations and related components of biological communities in central Texas.     

Paving the Way for Invasive Species: Road Type and the Spread of Common Ragweed (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ambrosia artemisiifolia</Emphasis>)

Roads function as prime habitats and corridors for invasive plant species. Yet despite the diversity of road types, there is little research on the influence of these types on the spread of invaders. Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), a plant producing large amounts of allergenic pollen, was selected as a species model for examining the impact of road type on the spread of invasive plants. We examined this relationship in an agricultural region of Quebec, Canada. We mapped plant distribution along different road types, and constructed a model of species presence. Common ragweed was found in almost all sampling sites located along regional (97%) and local paved (81%) roads. However, verges of unpaved local roads were rarely (13%) colonized by the plant. A model (53% of variance explained), constructed with only four variables (paved regional roads, paved local roads, recently mown road verges, forest cover), correctly predicted (success rate: 89%) the spatial distribution of common ragweed. Results support the hypothesis that attributes associated with paved roads strongly favour the spread of an opportunistic invasive plant species. Specifically, larger verges and greater disturbance associated with higher traffic volume create propitious conditions for common ragweed. To date, emphasis has been placed on controlling the plant in agricultural fields, even though roadsides are probably a much larger seed source. Strategies for controlling the weed along roads have only focused on major highways, even though the considerable populations along local roads also contribute to the production of pollen. Management prioritizations developed to control common ragweed are thus questionable.     

Photosensitized Inactivation of Cyst Forms of the Freshwater Amoeba <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vahlkampfia hartmanni</Emphasis> by Aluminium (III) Phthalocyanine Tetrasulfonate

Summary In this work we attained a successful cysticidal effect against Vahlkampfia hartmanni cysts using mild to moderate experimental conditions, regarding light energy delivered and concentrations of aluminium phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (AlPCS4). The dark and phototoxic activity of AlPCS4 towards the cyst forms of Vahlkampfia hartmanni, a freshwater amoeba previously isolated from keratitic patients, were tested. The photosensitized deactivation of the cyst form of this amoeba depends mainly on the concentration of AlPCS4 and the light fluence rate as well as the total fluence delivered during the irradiation process. Upon irradiation of the cyst suspension at 100 mW/cm² for 10 minutes in the presence of 3 μ M AlPCS4, a complete photodamaging effect on the cysts was induced. The photodamaging effect on Vahlkampfia cysts induces a state of inability of the cysts to excyst, vacuolation of the inner contents as well as a significant damage of the outer cyst wall upon microscopic examination.     

Interacting effects of pyrethroid and hormone on catalase and protein for toxicity amelioration in the freshwater fish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clarias batrachus</Emphasis>

Ameliorating effects of cortisol and T₃ on alphamethrin-dependent changes in the catalase (CAT) and protein profile of the freshwater catfish, Clarias batrachus, were studied. CAT activity and specific activity decreased in the liver, heart, kidney, and intestine after exposure to alphamethrin for 14 days. The administration of cortisol to alphamethrin-exposed fish brought the activity and specific activity of CAT up to their control values. The protein content decreased in different tissues of the fish after exposure to alphamethrin. The administration of T₃ to alphamethrin-exposed fish reduced the protein content to the control value. Therefore, it can be suggested that cortisol and T₃ may be used to ameliorate the toxicological effects of alphamethrin in fish.     

Postfire Regeneration in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus pinea</Emphasis> L. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus pinaster</Emphasis> Aiton in Andalucia (Spain)

The objective of this study was to examine postfire regeneration of tree, shrub, and dwarf shrub species, in relation to levels of damage in four planted pine forests (Pinus pinea, Pinus pinaster) in Andalusia. A prefire vegetation map was used for detailing species composition, vertical structure, and density and another for detailing the extent and intensity of fire damage. Between 3 and 7 years after the fires, an inventory was made of the vegetation in each area, using the step-point method. The information thus obtained was used to determine the amount of cover in the dwarf/shrub and tree layers, the frequency of species in each of the layers, floristic richness, and diversity (Shannon index). The botanical composition of the dwarf and shrub layer was analyzed using TWINSPAN. Variables were poorly correlated with level of fire damage, which suggests that the forests in this study followed the autosuccession model. Because of the artificial origin or seminatural condition, regeneration of the dominant tree species is poor, and it seems unlikely that forests will recover to their prefire state. Therefore action is recommended to restore these ecosystems.