Some effects of fire on shrubs and succulents in a Chihuahuan desert community in the Franklin Mountains, El Paso County, Texas

On 15 July 1981, a fire burned about 30 ha of Chihua— huan desertscrub community in the Franklin Mountains, El Paso County, Texas. Effects of the fire on shrubs and succulents were investigated by means of transects and study plots in November 1982, 16 months after the fire. A majority of the plant species were found to have recovered almost completely primarily from underground parts, but species such as Snakeweed (Gutierrezia microcephalum and G. sarothrae), Sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri), and Ocotillo (Foquieria splendens) were eliminated to a large extent from the burned areas. Effects of the fire on cacti were quite variable with mortalities ranging from 8.3—70.0%