Herbivore Influence on Post-Fire California Sage Scrub Plant and Soil Microbial Assemblages

California sage scrub (CSS) is an endangered, shrub-dominated, southern ecosystem type threatened by increasing fire frequencies and conversion to non-native grasslands. As CSS harbors a rich endemic flora fauna critical for maintaining key services; significant attention has been focused on understanding how many factors (N-deposition, drought, competition with non-natives) influence post-fire recovery. Unfortunately, few studies have examined the role of herbivores. For five years, we investigated herbivores succession annually surveying plant assemblages in control (herbivores allowed access) experimental (herbivore excluded) plots at Bernard Field Station following May 2017. We found that reduce cover both invasive grasses native shrubs, negatively impact Artemisia californica survivorship. Consequently, restoration efforts should not discount effects While forb was elevated permitted herbivores, near edge experienced increased herbivory pressure lower most plants. Despite modifications assemblages, did observe differences soil microbe abundances, fungi assemblage structure, or nutrient concentrations. suggest practitioners consider caging ‘shrub regeneration’ areas facilitate