Longleaf Pine Research Articles

Assessing the potential impact of retaining native off‐site tree species in woodland restoration

Reestablishing appropriate tree species is an important step in converting off‐site monocultures into woodlands. Species conversion is often necessary, as off‐site exotic species rarely function like woodland species. However, when off‐site tree species are native, and functionally redundant to woodland species, conversion may be unnecessary. To explore this possibility in the southeastern United States, we reviewed the literature on trait differences among the primary southern pines and qualitatively assessed the effect of their identity at the species and stand‐levels. In this region, woodland restoration focuses on removing loblolly (Pinus taeda) and slash pine (P. elliottii) to reestablish longleaf (P. palustris) or shortleaf pine (P. echinata). Our review found minimal variation among species in understory flammability, fire resistance at maturity, and Red‐cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) habitat at the stand‐level. Longleaf and shortleaf pine were generally more resistant to abiotic and pest disturbance at the tree‐level; however, stand‐level differences in wind, drought, and boring insect resistance among southern pines growing in open forests were considered minimal. Retaining loblolly and slash pine will improve stand‐level productivity in the short term, but creates regeneration problems due to low juvenile fire resistance and resilience. Ice resistance and long‐term carbon sequestration will also likely be reduced by retaining loblolly and slash pine. Collectively, these results suggest that southern pine species are generally interchangeable at the stand‐level in woodlands; although woodlands featuring loblolly and slash pine may be less stable in the face of disturbance than those dominated by shortleaf and longleaf pine.

Reconstructing Historical Intense and Total Summer Rainfall in Central North Carolina Using Tree-Ring Data (1770–2020)

Contextualizing historic hydroclimate variability in the southeastern USA has relied significantly on proxy indicators such as tree-ring data, and while previous studies have reconstructed total precipitation, less is known about the historic variability of intense rainfall events, which are climatologically and ecologically important and distinct from non-intense rainfall events. Here, a combined longleaf pine and shortleaf pine adjusted latewood chronology spanning 1770–2020 was used to reconstruct July–September total precipitation and intense rainfall event precipitation in central North Carolina, USA. The adjusted latewood chronology explains 46% of the variance in July–September total precipitation and 37% of the variance in July–September intense rainfall event precipitation during the 1940–2020 instrumental period with intense rainfall event precipitation amounts comprising 52% of total precipitation amounts. The models provide context about historic hydroclimate variability at this location and suggest overall stability in both total and intense rainfall event precipitation amounts during the instrumental and reconstruction periods with three identical significant regime shifts during 1770–2020: 1770–1935, 1936–1959 (above-average moisture), 1960–2020 (below-average moisture). To compare model strength, the models were split into early (1940–1980) and late (1981–2020) analysis periods with the intense rainfall event precipitation model exhibiting greater skill during the early analysis period. The early analysis period has a greater frequency and magnitude of intense rainfall events, and these results suggest the influence of intense rainfall event precipitation on latewood growth and the potential susceptibility of reconstruction models to decreased skill and/or error with differing frequencies of extreme events, a finding of particular importance to future dendroclimatic research.

Nest-site use of the cavity-nesting bird community associated with old-growth longleaf pine forests

Nest-site use of the cavity-nesting bird community associated with old-growth longleaf pine forests

Priority effects and competitive exclusion by C4 grasses on longleaf pine savanna restoration sites

On grassland and savanna restoration sites, planted native C4 grasses can competitively exclude other co‐introduced plant functional groups, with negative implications for ecosystem functioning and restoration success. Previous studies have suggested that C4 grass competitive exclusion does not occur in longleaf pine savannas of the North American Coastal Plain; however these studies were primarily conducted on old growth xeric sites. We designed an experiment to test competitive interactions between C4 grasses and forbs introduced by seed to mesic savanna restoration sites. Research installations were established on three former bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) pastures in Florida, within which six different seed treatments were applied: (1) C4 grasses and forbs together in years 1 and 2, (2) C4 grasses alone in year 1 and forbs alone in year 2, (3) forbs alone in year 1 and C4 grasses alone in year 2, (4) C4 grasses alone in both years, (5) forbs alone in both years, and (6) an unplanted control. All plots were sampled 1 year after the second seeding event. We found that C4 grasses competitively excluded forbs, reducing cover of forbs arriving on the site at the same time, as well as those arriving in the second year. The highest forb species richness and cover was found in the three treatments that did not contain C4 grasses in year 1, and different C4 grass species exhibited different community associations. These findings suggest that restoration seed mixes for longleaf pine savannas should account for the competitive interactions of C4 grasses.

The University of West Florida Campus Ecosystem Study: effects of forest vegetation on light availability and soil processes.

College and university campuses with a notable arboreal component provide unique opportunities for carrying out ecological research. The University of West Florida Campus Ecosystem Study (UWF CES) was established in 2019 as interconnected research to take advantage of the extensive arborescent nature of the UWF campus, particularly concerning longleaf pine (Pinus palustris). One of these investigations established permanent plots in forested sites of two contrasting types, one dominated by longleaf pine ("pine site") and the other dominated by hardwoods ('hardwood site'). This study used these plots to examine the influence of forest vegetation on light availability and soil processes. Light was measured as photosynthetically active radiation (and expressed as photon flux density-PFD) with a handheld meter in each plot. Soil was sampled to 5 cm in each plot; texture was measured with the hydrometer method. Identical sampling methods were carried out in a persistent canopy opening to assess light and soil conditions under maximum solar radiation. Mean PFD was ~4× higher in pine stands than in hardwood stands; PFD was 12.8 and 3.5% of full light in the pine and hardwood stands, respectively. All soils were dominated by coarse-textured sands, but silt was significantly higher in pine stand soil and higher still in the canopy opening. Among forest stand plots, sand was negatively related to PFD, whereas clay was positively related to PFD. Across the three sites, silt was positively related to PFD. These relationships are consistent with the importance of solar radiation as one of many drivers of soil weathering.

Ectoparasite load generates habitat-specific variation in colour badge intensity and badge size in male lizards

Abstract The severity of parasitic infections can mediate the differential expression of signals among populations, creating variation in signal intensity. Male signals (patch size and brightness) were quantified in Florida scrub lizards (Sceloporus woodi) from populations that vary in ectoparasite load. Males without mites were caught before breeding and exhibited different correlations among body size, patch size, and brightness. Males with ectoparasites (range = 1–368) were captured throughout the breeding season and showed a habitat-dependent pattern of how ectoparasite load, body size, and body condition were correlated with badge characteristics. In the sand pine scrub habitat, large males in good condition that were heavily parasitized had the largest badges. There was no relationship between body size or ectoparasite load and badge darkness. Lizards from longleaf pine habitat shared only one pattern, i.e. larger males had larger badges, yet there were several key differences. Body condition and ectoparasite load were unrelated to badge size, and the most heavily parasitized males had the brightest, not darkest, badges. Instead, males with moderate and low parasite loads had the darkest abdomens, and those with low parasite loads had the darkest throats. Thus, parasite load and body condition have habitat-dependent effects on badge characteristics.

Effects of Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Exclusion on Plant Assemblages in a Longleaf Pine Forest

Effects of Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Exclusion on Plant Assemblages in a Longleaf Pine Forest

Frequent prescribed burns reduce mammalian species richness and occurrence in longleaf pine sandhills

Prescribed fire is a critical forest management tool, the frequency and size of which can alter the composition of wildlife communities. In the longleaf pine ecosystem of the southeastern United States, frequent prescribed fire (1–3 year fire interval) is used to replicate natural processes that prevent woody encroachment and transition to alternate states. However, we have little understanding of how different scales and frequencies of fire influence medium and large mammals. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed the homogenizing influence of prescribed fire on mammal community composition at different fire frequencies and scales. We set 110 camera trap grids containing 990 individual camera points across conservation lands in north Florida and the Florida panhandle. We used a Bayesian multi-species occupancy modeling approach to assess the relationship between fire frequency and the occurrence of 11 mammal species across three spatial scales (0.2 ha, 12.57 ha, and 176.71 ha). Species richness was negatively associated with increased burn frequency at all scales and community occurrence was negatively associated with increased burn frequency at the two largest scales. Non-native nine-banded armadillos were negatively associated with increased burn frequency at all scales and non-native feral hogs were negatively associated with increased burn frequency at the two largest scales. Raccoons and opossums, both known nest predators, were negatively associated with increased burn frequency at the two largest scales. Our results indicate that prescribed fire applied at 1–3 year intervals could be used to reduce the occurrence of most non-native mammals and several prolific nest predators in longleaf pine sandhills, particularly at larger scales. However, these perceived benefits must be weighed against the concurrent loss of the ecosystem services and functions native generalist species provide.

Tropical cyclone winds and precipitation stimulate cone production in the masting species longleaf pine (Pinus palustris).

Many trees exhibit masting - where reproduction is temporally variable and synchronous over large areas. Several dominant masting species occur in tropical cyclone (TC)-prone regions, but it is unknown whether TCs correlate with mast seeding. We analyzed long-term data (1958-2022) to test the hypothesis that TCs influence cone production in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris). We integrate field observations, weather data, satellite imagery, and hurricane models to test whether TCs influence cone production via: increased precipitation; canopy density reduction; and/or mechanical stress from wind. Cone production was 31% higher 1 yr after hurricanes and 71% higher after 2 yr, before returning to baseline levels. Cyclone-associated precipitation was correlated with increased cone production in wet years and cone production increased after low-intensity winds (≤ 25 m s-1 ) but not with high-intensity winds (> 25 m s-1 ). Tropical cyclones may stimulate cone production via precipitation addition, but high-intensity winds may offset any gains. Our study is the first to support the direct influence of TCs on reproduction, suggesting a previously unknown environmental correlate of masting, which may occur in hurricane-prone forests world-wide.

Image Analysis To Assess Wood Variability In Longleaf Pine Cross-Sectional Disks

Image Analysis To Assess Wood Variability In Longleaf Pine Cross-Sectional Disks

The role of smoldering in the ignition of Pinus palustris needles

The pyrolysis process and the critical ignition conditions of dead Pinus palustris needles were studied experimentally to understand the role of smoldering in the onset of flaming combustion. The results obtained show that methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and water vapor (H2O) are the main constituents of the pyrolysis gases generated. The predominance of these compounds was found to be independent of the external heat flux, while their concentrations were sensitive to it. The heat of combustion of the pyrolysis gas and the pyrolysis reaction rate increased with increasing external heat fluxes. Visual observations and parameter measurements during testing hinted at the significance of smoldering to flaming ignition under forced flow conditions. The contribution of smoldering to flaming ignition was quantitively analyzed by combining the measured parameters during testing with the characterized pyrolysis process. The quantification results suggested a significant contribution of smoldering combustion to the flaming ignition under low heat fluxes and high airflow rate conditions.

The effects of a moderate severity hurricane on gap characteristics in a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) woodland

Modern forestry research emphasizes infusing management practices with an understanding of natural disturbance regimes—often called ecological forestry. Forestry practices that emulate aspects of natural disturbance regimes are considered an effective approach to balance silvicultural and ecological objectives. Silvicultural research is often available to guide successful regeneration in many forest types, but little information is available about gap patterns from common disturbances in the eastern U.S. like hurricanes. We examined the size, shape, and spatial distribution of canopy gaps formed in a longleaf pine woodland by Hurricane Michael across multiple landscape factors including stand size, composition, and soil types. We found high variation in many gap characteristics but no significant differences in gap size or shape among landscape factors. However, spatial distribution of gaps differed among landscape types in nuanced ways. We also found that stand size complexity may prevent the formation of very large gaps that can disrupt fire continuity in systems managed with frequent fire. The results highlight the ecological importance of hurricane events and provide insight into hurricane gap formation at the landscape scale. The implementation of silviculture practices that emulate a large, rapid, single disturbance event may be more practically applied than management based on disturbances such as lightning or insects which occur over longer timeframes.

Tradeoffs between timber and wildlife habitat quality increase with density in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) plantations

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), a historically abundant tree species in the southeastern United States, is often planted to restore the ecologically and culturally important longleaf pine ecosystem that once covered vast acreages in the southeastern United States. Government cost-share programs that support establishment of these plantations place restrictions on planting rates to promote wildlife habitat, as greater tree planting density may reduce canopy openness and herbaceous plant cover that are critical components of habitat for priority species, including gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) and Bachman’s sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis). However, there is expressed concern among some forest managers that more open grown trees in the plantations will be of inferior timber quality with more and larger horizontal branches and associated knots. We examined how density affects dynamics and tradeoffs among understory vegetation structure and composition, longleaf pine stem form (branch density and straightness), and longleaf pine survival by sampling 73 plantations of various ages (5–25 years) and planting rates (653–2445 trees per hectare (TPH)/264–990 trees per acre (TPA)) throughout the southeastern United States. We documented a relationship between planting rate and longleaf pine stand density at time of sampling (r = 0.69, p = 0.0001) and relationships between stand density and habitat and timber quality metrics. Greater stand density resulted in lower tree diameters but greater stand basal area than lower stand density. Higher planting rates led to lower branch density and lower straightness grades than lower planting rates. Canopy openness decreased with greater stand density, and bare ground cover and herbaceous cover decreased as density and stand age at time of sampling increased. Based on our results, we suggest that lower maximum planting rates are appropriate when wildlife habitat is a program objective because lower rates result in fewer tradeoffs, as reducing planting rates slows degradation of wildlife habitat when compared with higher maximum planting rates that have only mixed benefits on timber quality.

Fire-excluded and frequently burned longleaf pine forests have contrasting soil microbial communities

Prescribed fires are common in forest management, yet we lack a clear picture of how different fire frequencies impact soil systems. Here, we present evidence of microbial community and soil chemistry shifts following sixty years of continuous prescribed fire interval manipulation at the Olustee Experimental Forest in Northeastern Florida. We investigated three fire interval treatments (1 year, 2 years, and 4 years) in addition to an unburned control treatment. We sampled three mineral soil horizons (A, E, and Bh) to elucidate prescribed fire impacts across the soil profile. Our results indicate that only the A horizon was affected by the fire interval manipulations, whereas the deeper E and Bh horizons were minimally impacted. Richness of both bacterial and fungal communities in recurring fire treatments was higher than, and their community composition different from, those in the unburned control in A horizon soils. Similar to the biotic soil attributes, fire interval treatments altered soil chemistry only in the top-most A horizon: the burned treatments had higher total nitrogen, total carbon, phosphorus, and NH4+ than the fire exclusion treatment; the soil chemistry of the deeper E and Bh horizons did not differ among the treatments. All soil chemistry properties correlated with bacterial community composition of the A horizon and nearly all properties correlated with fungal community composition of the A horizon as well, especially when comparing the more frequent burns to the fire exclusion treatment. Indicator taxon analyses identified fire-responsive bacteria and fungi, such as Ktedonobacteria sp. and an unclassified ascomycete that were abundant in the fire exclusion treatment and the ectomycorrhizal Russula spp. that were most abundant in the annual burn treatment. The different fire intervals also impacted fungal guilds, suggesting shifts in community function. The fire exclusion treatment was enriched with ectomycorrhizal, lichenized, and wood saprotrophic fungi, whereas the annual burn treatment was enriched with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi compared to the other treatments. Our results indicate that long-term changes in the type and amount of detrital inputs and changes in the plant community associated with differing fire frequencies can induce shifts in the soil microbial community.

Plant growth forms influence sandhill longleaf pine regeneration

Longleaf pine researchers have quantified many aspects of regeneration, growth and yield, but have focused on productive sites such as pine flatwoods and upland pine. Sandhill longleaf pine woodlands represent >40 % of remnant stands of longleaf pine ecosystems; most have no history of agriculture due to poor site productivity, yet many have been degraded by resin collection, grazing and fire exclusion. Restoration of structure and function of sandhill longleaf pine depends on understanding early stand-development processes, which are governed by fire, propagule availability, and competition from a range of overstory tree species not limited to longleaf pine. We analyzed a 16-year monitoring dataset from Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida, USA, focusing on how four tree growth forms influenced longleaf pine juvenile stages of seedling and sapling numbers and ingrowth to the subadult size class. Analyses were done with generalized linear mixed models using Poisson, normal, or negative binomial error distributions according to the response variable.Restoration activities were effective at reducing numbers of sapling evergreen hardwoods, and basal area of overstory sand pine and other non-longleaf conifers was reduced by 35 % over the 16-year study. We observed threshold values for adult longleaf pine effects on seedlings and ingrowth; seedling numbers were maximized at 7.8 m2/ha, and ingrowth was maximum at 5.1 m2/ha. Seedling density was strongly governed by mast year. Sand pine, an invasive native pine, was detrimental to longleaf pine at all juvenile life stages even at low basal area. Deciduous oaks, which have been observed to facilitate longleaf pine seedling establishment, instead facilitated ingrowth to the subadult size class. Evergreen hardwoods, which may dampen fire behavior, only decreased longleaf pine density at the sapling stage. Ongoing silvicultural restoration activities should continue to focus on frequent fire and sand pine removal; deciduous oaks should be retained for their facilitative value; and removal of evergreen hardwoods should not be a high priority as long as prescribed fire can propagate in these lower productivity sites.

Increasing precipitation variability and climate-growth responses of five tree species in North Carolina, USA

We examined the effects of increasing summertime precipitation variability from 1950 to 2022 on the radial-growth responses of five tree species native to central North Carolina, USA. Tree-ring data were collected from chestnut oak, post oak, longleaf pine, shortleaf pine, and Virginia pine and processed following standard dendrochronology procedures. Adjusted latewood chronologies for each species were created and correlated with either monthly or multi-monthly combinations of summertime precipitation for above average (AA, > 1 σ above mean), below average (BA, <−1 σ below mean), and near average (NA, <−1, and 1 > σ) precipitation years. June–September precipitation variability and other summertime monthly combinations significantly increased during the study period, with a 10.2% increase in AA/BA years during the 21st century. Climate-growth correlations ranged from 0.40–0.51 using all years within the study period. However, using AA and BA years exclusively, climate-growth responses ranged from 0.44–0.71, with post oak and longleaf pine experiencing significantly higher correlations. No significant changes in climate-growth responses occurred for chestnut oak, shortleaf pine, and Virginia pine. These findings suggest the effects of increased precipitation variability on climate-growth responses are species-dependent and affected by the precipitation classification (i.e. AA or BA years). These responses help explain temporal variations in the strength of climate-growth responses, particularly for some species, and offer additional considerations for dendroclimatological research.

Differential effects of fire regime and site conditions on bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystem

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystems in the southeastern U.S. are fire-driven. Frequent prescribed fire or lack thereof through shifts in fire regimes may have consequences for tree health and associated herbivorous subcortical beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Yet, interactions between these ecologically and economically important beetles and prescribed fire in the southeastern U.S. are not well documented. We assessed the effects of various fire regimes, specifically of frequent fire, fire exclusion, and fire reintroduction, on bark and root-feeding beetles in mature longleaf pine stands in two edaphic types (mesic and xeric) in southwestern Georgia. We employed an information theoretic statistical approach to determine the effects of site conditions, as defined by both soil properties and stand structure, and prescribed burning on trap catches of subcortical beetles by species. We trapped a total of 141,611 beetles, indicating that subcortical beetles are abundant in this ecosystem. While the highest trap catches for three Ips beetle species were in the xeric fire-exclusion treatment, catches of I. grandicollis (Eichhoff) were similar at both sites for the fire-exclusion treatment. For the fire-exclusion treatment, I. avulsus (Eichhoff) and I. calligraphus (Germar) catches were 2–10 times higher at the xeric than mesic sites. Orthotomicus caelatus (Eichhoff) and Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier) catches were 1.1–2.4 times higher in frequent-fire than fire-exclusion treatments. Root-feeding weevils, Pachylobius picivorus (Germar) and Hylobius pales (Herbst), exhibited opposite trends with catches higher and lower in burned treatments, respectively. Ips calligraphus were positively associated with percent basal area of understory trees, indicating this species may benefit from fire exclusion. Ips avulsus catches were negatively correlated with total basal area, suggesting this species may benefit from more open habitats like those facilitated by frequent fire. We conclude that both soil properties and stand conditions interact with the fire regime to differentially affect the catches of southeastern bark and root-feeding beetle species in a longleaf pine ecosystem.

Patterns of Water Consumption in Longleaf Pine Restoration Areas and the Relationship with Cone Production

Monitoring water consumption dynamics across the geographic range of an ecosystem may indicate the possible variation and stress in a biome. Here, model output data based on remote sensing (1979–2022) were used to examine the water consumption dynamics and effects on cone production in three geographic margins in the longleaf pine’s range (i.e., Bladen Lake State Forest, Escambia Experimental Forest, and Kisatchie National Forest) under varying climatic conditions. Results indicated that the mean annual transpiration at Escambia was approximately 431 mm and that at Bladen and Kisatchie was 500 mm. Mean monthly transpiration peaked twice (June and October) at Escambia but only once (August) at Bladen and Kisatchie. The mean annual evapotranspiration ranged from approximately 900 mm at Kisatchie to about 791 mm at Escambia and Bladen. The mean annual transpiration/evapotranspiration ratio was about 0.65 at Bladen and 0.55 at Escambia and Kisatchie. A significant correlation existed between evapotranspiration and specific humidity across the sites on a monthly scale but not on a yearly scale. Significant negative relationships existed between precipitation and the ratios of transpiration/precipitation and evapotranspiration/precipitation on the yearly scale across the sites. Negative power relationships were observed between precipitation and the specific humidity/precipitation ratio on monthly and yearly scales. Cone production was generally highest in years with moderate water consumption. These results provide baseline information on how hydrological and ecological processes of longleaf pine forests interact with climate across broad spatial and temporal scales.

Prescribed Burning under Differing Forest Cover Types and Its Influence on Soil Water Infiltration Rates and Physical Properties in East Texas Forests

Little is known regarding the effects of prescribed burning on soil water infiltration and soil physical properties in Western Gulf Coast forests dominated by longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), shortleaf pine (P. echinata), or loblolly pine (P. taeda). Soil water infiltration rates were measured pre-burn (before the fire), post-burn (one month after the fire), and at green-up (three months after the fire) in areas utilizing prescribed fire with different rotations and seasons. The National Forests and Grasslands of Texas predominantly perform dormant season burns every two to three years, while the Winston 8 Land and Cattle Ltd. Tree Farm often burned biannually during the dormant season, but occasionally during the growing season. Soil samples were also collected to determine the effects of prescribed burning on soil pH, bulk density, particle density, pore space, soil strength, O-horizon weight and depth (organic matter), and water-stable aggregates. There was a significant increase in soil water infiltration rates between pre-burn and post-burn and pre-burn and green-up, and between the two different burn intervals. Soil strength initially decreased slightly, but then increased over time. Soil-stable aggregates increased significantly over time, and soil physical properties that significantly changed included soil bulk density, pore space, water-stable soil aggregates, and soil strength. This study found there could be short-term (2–3 years) responses on soil physical properties and soil water infiltration rates from repeated burning treatments, regardless of overstory species.

Plant‐mediated effects of fire and fragmentation drive plant–pollinator interaction β‐diversity in fire‐dependent pine savannas

Interaction β‐diversity is a measure essential for understanding and conserving species interactions and ecosystem functioning. Interaction β‐diversity explains the variation in species interactions across spatial and temporal gradients, resulting from species turnover or interaction rewiring. Each component of interaction β‐diversity has different ecological implications and practical consequences. While interaction β‐diversity due to species turnover is related to assembly processes and fragmentation, rewiring can support high biodiversity and confer resilience to ecological networks. However, it is unclear whether both components respond to the same or different ecological drivers. Here, we assessed the ecological drivers of plant–pollinator interaction β‐diversity and its components across 24 sites in 9 longleaf pine (LLP) savannas in north and central Florida. We evaluated the effects of flowering plant composition and flower abundance, vegetation, fire regime, soil moisture, terrain characteristics, climate, spatial context and geographic location. We used path analysis to evaluate the drivers of spatial interaction β‐diversity and its main components. We then used generalized linear mixed models to assess the temporal patterns of spatial β‐diversity among sites within preserves. We found that plant–pollinator networks in LLP savannas are highly variable across space and time, mainly due to species turnover and possibly in response to abiotic gradients and dispersal boundaries. Flower abundance and flowering plant composition, geographic location, fire seasonality, soil moisture, and landscape context were the main drivers of plant–pollinator β‐diversity, highlighting the role of fire management and habitat connectivity in preserving plant–pollinator networks.