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Data and code from:Pyrodiversity and phylodiversity; insights on post-fire forest communities

Wilcox, Rebecca1; Estes, Becky2; Mishler, Brent3; Jacobs, Sarah1

Published Sep 17, 2026 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m905qfvfs

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Abstract

Fire is a fundamental process that structures community assembly and biodiversity patterns; however, altered disturbance regimes associated with anthropogenic change present a major threat to fire adapted systems. Reintroducing pyrodiversity (spatiotemporal diversity in fire) has been identified as an important step in restoring fire adapted western temperate forests. Here, we utilize spatial phylogenetic (phylogenetic diversity, phylogenetic endemism, relative phylogenetic diversity, phylogenetic beta diversity) and taxonomic metrics (taxonomic richness, weighted endemism, taxonomic beta diversity) to assess how three different fire events (one lightning ignition managed fire, one planned prescribed wildfire, and one wildfire) influence plant community assembly dynamics and diversity patterns in the Central Sierra Nevada, California, USA. We found that taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity generally increased after fire. Further, after fire, community assembly mechanisms diversified and local phylogenetic endemism increased. Our findings suggest that fire is an important process driving landscape heterogeneity and creating opportunities for rarity and diverse community assembly mechanisms to occur, which in turn supports increased diversity. This demonstrates the importance of restoring mixed-severity fire into these systems and that phylogenetic tools provide a valuable way to monitor impacts of restoration.