Longleaf pine-wiregrass ecosystems of the southeastern United States are adapted to frequent low-intensity fires, which maintain open, savanna-like
landscapes and foster high species richness within the ground cover plant community. Using data from long-term vegetation monitoring plots, we document that fire suppression results in a precipitous decline in species richness after only a couple of missed fire-return intervals. Following 15 years of fire suppression, we reintroduced fire to a subset of plots. Four fires and five years later, we are starting to see evidence of recovery toward pre-fire suppression conditions. Factors influencing recovery include site history, soil moisture, and plot spatial scale as well as midstory basal area, oak leaf litterfall, and ground cover biomass.