Table 3 Mean cover (%) and density values (500 m⁻²) in paired unburned (UB) and burned (Burn) stands per study site. Study sites are named after the years since fire. All structural parameters shown were statistically compared between paired stands per site. P values < 0.0083 (Bonferroni-corrected P < 0.05) are indicated by *. The ‘<’ symbol represents cover values less than 0.1 %.

Live and dead perennial cover (%)

24.3*

8.0

33.6*

15.0

18.4*

9.1

24.8*

13.6

34.3

52.0*

14.6

11.0

21.6

18.5

Live shrub & cacti cover (%)

12.8*

0.2

21.0*

1.1

11.3*

0.6

13.8

10.8

20.2

28.2

10.6

8.9

13.6

13.1

Dead shrub & cacti cover (%)

11.9

8.0

14.2

13.8

7.2

8.5

11.4*

3.0

15.1

27.4*

4.0

1.4

8.1

5.4

Live herbaceous perennial cover (%)

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

<

<

<

0.0

0.0

0.9*

0.2

0.2

Live shrub & cacti density (500 m⁻²)

37.8*

3.2

90.3*

14.0

40.2*

5.5

65.2

98.5

113.8

288.8*

55.8

75.2

46.3

93.2*

Dead shrub & cacti density (500 m⁻²)

86.0*

24.2

68.0*

36.7

44.8

38.2

87.5*

30

105.7

131.0

75.5*

25.0

80.0

79.0

Live herbaceous perennial density (500 m⁻²)

0.0

0.0

1.5

2.8

0.2

1.0

1.0

6.5

0.7

0.0

0.8

29.0*

4.3

11.8