Prescribed fire drives divergent invasive annual grass responses in a dry forest-mosaic landscape

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Our study demonstrates that invasive annual grasses are rapidly spreading across the study area regardless of prescribed fire. Low severity prescribed fire may not exacerbate the invasion of some annual grasses in forested areas and sagebrush patches where the canopy cover is already open. However, burning in sagebrush patches may have negative effects on important non-forest ecosystems when burning results in the loss of fire-sensitive species. This information can help aid decision making and improve species-specific management and treatment effectiveness in dry forest landscapes.