March 2022: The invasive grass–fire cycle is a widely documented feedback phenomenon in which invasive grasses increase vegetation flammability and fire frequency, resulting in further invasion and compounded effects on fire regimes. Few studies have examined the role of short-term adaptation in driving the invasive grass–fire cycle, despite invasive species often thriving after introduction to new environments.
In our new paper, led by UQ student Binyin Di, we found limited evidence that roadside burning consistently increased genetic diversity and adaptive potential in C. ciliaris; evolutionary and breeding history more strongly shaped genetic structure. Roadside burning could therefore continue to be used for managing biomass in this species, with continued monitoring. Our study provides a framework for detecting fire-related changes on a genetic level–a process that could be used as an early warning system to detect the invasive grass–fire cycle in future.
In our new paper, led by UQ student Binyin Di, we found limited evidence that roadside burning consistently increased genetic diversity and adaptive potential in C. ciliaris; evolutionary and breeding history more strongly shaped genetic structure. Roadside burning could therefore continue to be used for managing biomass in this species, with continued monitoring. Our study provides a framework for detecting fire-related changes on a genetic level–a process that could be used as an early warning system to detect the invasive grass–fire cycle in future.
Di B, Firn J, Buckley YM, Lomas K, Pausas JG, Smith AL (2022) The impact of roadside burning on genetic diversity in a high-biomass invasive grass Evolutionary Applications https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13369