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The effects of fire on vegetation in the desert mountain shrub
community were studied on 3 to 7-year-old burned sites near the
northern limits of the Chihuahurn Desert. Coverage and fre-
quency of redberry juniper (Juniipcruspinchotii) and frequency of
whitebail acacia (Acacia texends) were lower, while frequencies of
catclaw mimosa (Mimosa biunc~em) and skeleton goldeneye
(Viguiera stenoloba) were higher on burned sites when_compared
with unburned paired piants. Lechuguiiia (Agave lecheguil&,
sotoi (DasytYrion leiophylbun), and sacahuista (No&r spp.) suf-
fered losses in excess of 50% on burned sites. With the exceptions
of sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) and bull muhiy
(Muhlenbergia emersleyi), ail grasses had recovered or showed
increases by the end of three growing seasons. Ail grasses had
recovered or increased on 6 to 7-year-old bums. Recovery of
burned piants was predominately by vegetative means, suggesting
that periodic fires can be used to maintain or even increase grass
coverage at the expense of shrubs in this community.