Effects of fuels reductions on plant communities and soils in a Piñon-juniper woodland

Over the past decade, a variety of fuels reduction strategies have been implemented across western US forests to lower the risk of high severity fires. In two separate studies, we evaluated the short-term effects (

► Fuels-reduction efforts are being used extensively to reduce fire risk, but their effects on ecosystems are relatively unknown. ► We explore possible ecosystem effects from three different fuels reduction approaches. ► All fuels-reduction treatments had higher understory plant cover than untreated controls. ► Treatments that involve slash burning had higher invasive species and lower soil stability than other treatment options. ► Alternatives to burnings of slash are recommended for fuels-reduction treatments.