Brotherton fire trial: dominant to common plant species relative abundance from 1981 to 2019

This dynamic report with R code describes the historic and recent grass species composition data collected at the Brotherton fire trial in the Maloti Drakensberg Park, KwaZulu-Natal. This trial is located in uKhahlamba Basalt, Themeda triandra grassland, which fall within the Drakensberg biodiversity hotspot, where the effects of a range of fire-return interval and burn season treatments have been examined, starting in 1980. These grasslands are adapted to fire and require it as a disturbance in order to maintain an open grassy state. The South African Environmental Observation (SAEON) has been collecting higher plant composition data at the trial since 2015, but data collection has been done at the trial since 1981. Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife has been working in partnership SAEON to maintain the trial and together they are making the data described in this document available. Continued observation by SAEON at the trial is being undertaken to evaluate the effects of global change on these important and valuable grassland ecosystems that provide critical habitat for indigenous fauna, and other services such as water production and quality assurance and storage of high amounts of soil carbon. More information about the trial can be obtained in the Gordijn and Krüger (2019) report.