Prescribed fire effects on vegetation responses in subtropical rangelands

• We investigated the effects of prescribed fire and mechanical control on plant productivity and diversity over a 7-year field study in Florida’s subtropical rangelands. • Prescribed fire was effective at increasing above-ground biomass of grasses and forbs, while also suppressing saw-palmetto. • Fire in combination with mechanical control resulted in the greatest reduction in saw-palmetto biomass and ground cover. However, it also increased undesirable grasses, which warrants further research at the species level. • Increasing fire frequency and mechanical control are effective strategies to reduce the proportion of shrubs while also increasing desirable plant species in Florida’s subtropical rangelands.