Post-Fire Effects on the Globally Imperiled Chapin Mesa Milkvetch (Astragalus schmolliae), 2001–2019

A crown fire in Mesa Verde National Park in 2002 initially boosted the population of Chapin Mesa milkvetch (Astragalus schmolliae), a globally imperiled, endemic plant. However, by 2019, the density of juvenile and adult plants in burned areas had declined to half that of unburned areas, with near-zero recruitment observed in burned transects. This reversal is likely due to intensified competition from invasive grasses like cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), which now dominate the post-fire landscape. The study, spanning 18 years, highlights the need for targeted management strategies to mitigate competition and preserve old-growth pinon-juniper woodland ecosystems critical for the survival of this imperiled species.

Rondeau, R. J., Anderson, D. G., Handwerk, J. E., & Spector, T. (2022). Post-Fire Effects on the Globally Imperiled Chapin Mesa Milkvetch (Astragalus schmolliae), 2001–2019. Natural Areas Journal, 42(1). https://doi.org/10.3375/21-14