Differential seedling performance and environmental correlates in shrub canopy vs. interspace microsites

► Shrubs induce micro-spatial variation in soil properties. ► We modeled abundance of post-fire seeded perennial grasses under sagebrush and in interspaces. ► Shrub-induced alterations in soil properties correlated with increased seedling performance. ► Pre-fire shrub conservation may be important to post-fire restoration success.