Climate change has already increased fire risk in Mediterranean forests. Adaptation options related to forest fires and climate change include measures related to fuel management, fire fighting and infrastructure, as well as public awareness. The importance of each of these measures was evaluated in six Mediterranean countries in a study initiated within the COST Action FP0703 “Expected Climate Change and Options for European Silviculture”. A questionnaire survey was used to document the views of foresters and forest scientists. Country differences were observed and adaptation measures related to fire fighting efficiency and public awareness were valued as more important than fuel management. Results were discussed in the light of a critical review of adaptive fire management measures with special reference to European Mediterranean countries

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Responses of CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance to decreasing leaf water potential, and to environmental factors, were analysed in a mixed natural stand of sessile oak (Quercus petraea ssp. medwediewii) and beech (Fagus svlvatica L.) in Greece during the exceptionally dry summer of 1998. Seasonal courses of leaf water potential were similar for both species, whereas mean net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were always higher in sessile oak than in beech. The relationship between net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance was strong for both species. Sessile oak had high rates of photosynthesis even under very low leaf water potentials and high air temperatures, whereas the photosynthetic rate of beech decreased at low water potentials. Diurnal patterns were similar in both species but sessile oak had higher rates of CO2 assimilation than beech. Our results indicate that sessile oak is more tolerant of drought than beech, due, in part, to its maintenance of photosynthesis at low water potential.

Abstract. Natural stands of Pinus brutia were compared to burned areas after a great fire in 1985 on the island of Thasos, North Greece, in relation to site quality effects on the success of natural regeneration and understorey vegetation. The number of seedlings in the natural stands of P. brutia was 1124/ha against 3188/ha in the burned area. In both cases natural regeneration was successful. Under the canopy of P. brutia forests the predominant shrubs were Quercus coccifera and vPhillyrea latifolia. A high percentage (up to 40%) of the total area was covered by these species. In the burned areas, 12 yr after the wildfire of 1985, Cistus incanus and C. salvifolius played a significant role in the survival of P. brutia seedlings. These species had covered the burned area long before the pine seed germination.

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After a wildfire in a Pinus halepensis Mill. forest, in northern Greece, the burned trees were logged and the logs were removed either by mechanical or animal traction. The effects of logging and log removal methods on soil and vegetation recovery were evaluated comparing the logged sites with a burned but unlogged site and the unburned forest. Fire and logging did not affect the soil pH and caused only a short-term reduction in organic matter content. Two years after the fire, the highest rates of soil loss were observed in the logged area where mules were used for log removal. Soil moisture showed some differences between treatments during the first year after fire but then values were similar. Logging and particularly the use of skidders for log removal caused an initial increase in the amount of exposed bare ground but later when vegetation cover increased differences were minimized. The main woody species showed a species specific response to the treatments and while seeder species were favoured in the unlogged sites the same was not true for the respouters. In general, the growth and survival of pine seedlings was not affected by treatments.

-Seedlings of Acer pseudoplatanus L., Fraxinus ornus L. and Castanea sativa Miller., were exposed to desiccating conditions (15 °C, 50% RH, air movement 0.3 m s -1 , photosynthetic active radiation 350 µmol m -2 s -1 ) and freezing (-5°C, darkness). The effect of stress factors on seedling quality was assessed using root electrolyte leakage, water potential and moisture content of fine roots. After treatments, seedlings were outplanted in a field site. The effects of desiccation and freezing on planting stock quality and field performance varied and depended upon the length of exposure and species. Root electrolyte leakage values were significantly related to field performance rates of seedlings exposed to both stress factors. Root moisture content and root water potential were related to survival only in the case of desiccation treatment.

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