Aims Plant–soil feedback (PSF) is an important mechanism controlling plant growth, vegetation dynamics, and longer-term and larger-scale patterns of plant community diversity. We know that feedback between plants and soil biota depends on several external factors, such as nutrient and water availability, and interactions with neighbouring plants. We argue that in the ‘real world’, PSF are not working in isolation but instead proceed within a complex context of multiple interacting factors. Fire is one of those complex external factors which could greatly alter PSF by re-setting or re-directing plant-soil biota interactions. Methods We reviewed key literature on the effects of fire on soil biota and soil physicochemical properties with soil depth, to generate predictions on the complex effects of fire on PSF. Results We highlight that fire has strong potential to directly and indirectly affect the strength of PSF. To what extent this influences longer-term plant community trajectories depends on the interactions between fire characteristics and ecosystem type. Here, we conceptualized these effects of fire on soil properties and biota, and then discuss the main pathways through which fire should alter PSF. Conclusions We think that PSF processes should be nullified under and after fire. Average neutral PSF responses are expected to be more common in the short-term or within the timeframe required for major soil microbial players to regain their pre-fire abundances and diversity. We conclude by providing directions for future research and possible methods to study fire effects on PSF both in the field and under controlled conditions.

oeste ha intensificado la actividad ganadera en zonas semiáridas, disminuyendo la probabilidad de encontrar sitios que no estén severamente antropizados con fines productivos. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron caracterizar la composición florística y funcional del estrato herbáceo de bosques de caldén en un sitio excluido del pastoreo doméstico en los últimos 50 años, y compararla con otras dos situaciones: una, con un evento de fuego invernal y posterior exclusión del pastoreo de ganado bovino; y otra, con pastoreo rotativo. En cada uno de los tres sitios se estimó la cobertura de especies herbáceas dentro de 10 marcos de 1x1 m mediante el método de Braun-Blanquet. En primer lugar, se analizó la composición florística en cuanto a riqueza y diversidad. En segundo lugar, se realizó un análisis de NMDS para caracterizar las comunidades vegetales. Por último, se comparó la cobertura de los grupos funcionales (palatabilidad, ciclo de vida y origen) entre los sitios mediante un análisis de Kruskal-Wallis. La riqueza y la diversidad medias fueron similares en las tres condiciones, mientras que la riqueza total fue mayor en el sitio excluido. La composición florística varió entre sitios, mientras que la composición funcional resultó similar entre el sitio excluido y pastoreado. El sitio excluido al pastoreo es una oportunidad para caracterizar la vegetación local sin influencia del pastoreo por el ganado bovino, dado que se encuentran muy pocas áreas que no hayan sido explotadas con fines económicos durante un período de tiempo tan extenso.[Palabras clave: comunidad vegetal, disturbios, ganadería] A�������. Floristic and functional composition of natural grasslands in central Argentina: The effect of ca�le grazing and fire. The state and conservation of the natural resources involved in production systems is of global concern. In Argentina, the expansion of the agricultural frontier from the Humid Pampa to the west has intensified livestock activity in semi-arid areas, decreasing the probability of finding sites that are not severely anthropized for productive purposes. The objectives of this work were to characterize the floristic and functional composition of the herbaceous stratum of caldén forests in a site excluded from domestic grazing in the last 50 years and to compare it with two other situations: one, with a winter fire event and subsequent exclusion of ca�le grazing; and the other, with rotational grazing. In each of the three sites, the cover of herbaceous species within ten 1x1 m frames was estimated using the Braun-Blanquet method. First, the floristic composition was analysed in terms of richness and diversity. Secondly, an NMDS analysis was carried out to characterize the plant communities. Finally, the coverage of functional groups (palatability, life cycle and origin) was compared between sites using a Kruskal-Wallis analysis. Mean richness and diversity were similar in the three conditions, while total richness was higher in the excluded site. Floristic composition varied between sites, while funct...