scrubdominated

Scrubdominated is a descriptive term used in ecology and land-cover studies to describe landscapes in which woody shrubs and low trees form the majority of the vegetation vertical structure and ground cover. It is not a formal biogeographic category but a label applied to systems where the scrub layer is the defining feature of the ecosystem.

These landscapes commonly occur in semiarid and Mediterranean climate zones, but scrubdomination can also result from land-use change such as overgrazing, fire suppression, or altered disturbance regimes. The vegetation typically features dense to moderately dense shrub cover, with height ranges from low shrubs to several meters, and with varying, often sparse, herbaceous layers. Fire, drought, soil conditions, and disturbance history interact to shape the composition and density of the scrub layer.

Ecological roles of scrubdominated systems include providing habitat for a wide array of wildlife, contributing to soil stabilization and erosion control, and supporting certain carbon storage pathways. They can also maintain resilience to drought and some disturbances. However, scrub encroachment can reduce habitat openness for grassland or savanna specialists, alter hydrological processes, and complicate land management for agriculture or grazing. In some regions, invasive shrub species can exacerbate degradation if not managed effectively.

Management and restoration approaches aim to balance the persistence of native shrub communities with the recovery of desired open or herbaceous components. Strategies may include prescribed burning, mechanical removal, selective grazing management, and control of invasive species, often combined with efforts to restore soil health and native plant communities aligned with local climate and soils.