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The aim of this work was to study the effect of controlling jarilla (Larrea spp.), nonforage shrubs for livestock, on two plant communities with different forage production in the arid mid-west of Argentina. Total vegetation cover, forage species cover and carrying capacity were determined during three growing seasons, for cleared and uncleared plots. At the end of the study, significant differences were found in the Larrea cuneifolia community, where average forage species cover increased by 156% over the control, and greater carrying capacity (129%) was also obtained from the cleared treatment. No significant differences were found in the Larrea divaricata community. Data lead us to recommend shrub control as an improvement practice only in areas with low forage species cover and poor carrying capacity. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited