Effects of repeated fires on native plant community development at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Repeated wildfires in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's mesic and wet forests can shift ecosystems into treeless, less-desirable stable states by overwhelming community resilience. Unlike single fires that top-kill dominant trees like Metrosideros polymorpha (which often survive via basal sprouting) and reduce native tree fern (Cibotium glaucum) survival, repeated fires drastically increase mortality by killing these resprouts. Post-fire understorey composition also diverges unexpectedly from once-burned or unburned forests, with aggressive herbaceous species rapidly occupying space, potentially stalling native forest recovery. The study highlights how feedback processes post-fire may lock ecosystems into novel states, delaying or preventing natural succession.

Ainsworth, A., & Kauffman, J. B. (2013). Effects of repeated fires on native plant community development at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 22(8), 1044–1054. https://doi.org/10.1071/wf12135