Fire behaviour and severity in a maritime pine stand 
under differing fuel conditions

Fernandes, Paulo M.; Loureiro, Carlos; Botelho, Hermínio

doi:10.1051/forest:2004048

Cited by 86 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Higher shrub loading implies higher flammability, likelihood of crowning fire, and difficulty in fire control (Schmidt et al 2002, Fernandes 2009a. Fernandes et al (2004) observed differences in fire behavior and severity among maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) plots depending on fuel age (i.e., time since last treatment) and the presence or absence of surface fuel treatments. Furthermore, recent research aimed at developing wildfire occurrence models in Portugal included the understory shrubs biomass as a significant variable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A model of shrub biomass accumulation as a tool to support management of Portuguese forests

Botequim¹,

Zubizarreta-Gerendiain²,

García-Gonzalo³

et al. 2015

iForest

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© iForest -Biogeosciences and Forestry IntroductionDuring the last decades, significant land use change took place in Portugal and elsewhere in the Mediterranean region. Many marginal agricultural or grazing lands were either abandoned or afforested. Natural succession led to changes in vegetation structure and composition where agricultural activities ceased, thus contributing to the expansion of shrubland, woodland and forests with a well-developed shrub understory (Fernán-dez Alés et al. 1992). These changes resulted in higher carbon stocks as well as in more flammable ecosystems prone to large and high-severity fires (Pausas 2004, Castro & Freitas 2009).Fuel dynamics refers to the structural and temporal modifications undergone by a fuel layer or fuel complex. Shrub accumulation models could assist in forecasting the dynamics of biomass and carbon storage. Many modeling of fuel dynamics follows the simple model by Olson (1963) that describes the relationship between production and decomposition as a modified exponential function that flattens out to a plateau. Other studies describe fuel and shrub dynamics by timedependent models of forest fire hazard (Gould et al. 2011). However, shrub biomass accumulation information for Mediterranean areas is very limited. Few studies addressed the temporal dynamics of shrub structure and/or biomass in shrublands (Baeza et al. 2006), which are expected to be different under a forest canopy, due to competition for resources (i.e., light, water). Hence, little attention has been given to understory vegetation, likely due to its limited economic importance. Nonetheless, the ecological significance of the understory is high, since it plays an important role on nutrient cycles, carbon storage and fire hazard.Currently available carbon models still lack details on biomass dynamics, which in turn affect the calculation of these processes. A recent study by Rosa et al. (2011) to estimate pyrogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, aerosols and other trace gases from wildfires in Portugal identified shrub biomass as the variable with the greatest impact on the uncertainty inherent in such estimates. Therefore, it is essential to improve the assessment of forest biomass, including its spatial and temporal variation.In the Mediterranean region, fire is one of the most important factors affecting forest ecosystems, both ecologically and economically (Pereira & Santos 2003). Higher shrub loading implies higher flammability, likelihood of crowning fire, and difficulty in fire control (Schmidt et al. 2002, Fernandes 2009a. Fernandes et al. (2004) observed differences in fire behavior and severity among maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) plots depending on fuel age (i.e., time since last treatment) and the presence or absence of surface fuel treatments. Furthermore, recent research aimed at developing wildfire occurrence models in Portugal included the understory shrubs biomass as a significant variable. Indeed, shrubs have a large impact on fire risk with obvious implications to forest plannin...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A model of shrub biomass accumulation as a tool to support management of Portuguese forests

Botequim¹,

Zubizarreta-Gerendiain²,

García-Gonzalo³

et al. 2015

iForest

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“…Previous fire history was also provided by the local environmental agency, and the selected plots were not burned at least before 1967. Fuel conditions were similar in all the plots, in order to avoid differences in fire intensity and severity caused by this parameter (Fernandes et al, 2004). Finally, the plots were also comparable in terms of stand structure (Tab.…”

Section: Experimental Design and Chronosequence Plot Selectionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Long-term decrease of organic and inorganic nitrogen concentrations due to pine forest wildfire

et al. 2010

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Keywords: dissolved organic nitrogen / labile nitrogen / microbial biomass / mineral nitrogen / Pinus canariensis / fire Abstract • Growing concerns about fires and the increase of fire frequency and severity due to climate change have stimulated a large number of scientific papers about fire ecology. Most researchers have focused on the short-term effects of fire, and the knowledge about the long-term consequences of fires on ecosystem nutrient dynamics is still scarce.• Our aim was to improve the existing knowledge about the long-term effects of wildfires on forestlabile N concentrations. We hypothesized that fires may cause an initial decline in organic and inorganic N availability, and in the amount of microbial biomass-N; this should be followed by the recovery of pre-fire N concentrations on a long-term basis. We selected a fire chronosequence in Pinus canariensis forests on La Palma Island (Canary Islands, Spain). These forests are under low anthropogenic atmospheric deposition, and forest management is completely lacking; wildfires are therefore the only significant disturbance. Soil samples were collected during the winter and spring at 22 burned and unburned plots.• Fire produced a significant decrease in microbial biomass N, mineral N and dissolved organic N. Almost 20 y after fire, pre-fire levels of N concentrations had not recovered.• These results demonstrate that P. canariensis forest soils have a lower resilience against fire than expected. The magnitude of these observed changes suggests that pine forest wildfires may induce long-term (2 decades) changes in soil and in plant primary production. Mots-clés :azote organique dissous / azote labile / biomasse microbienne / azote minéral / Pinus canariensis / incendie Résumé -Décroissance à long terme des concentrations d'azote organique et inorganique, attribuable au feu dans une forêt de pins.• Les préoccupations grandissantes au sujet des incendies, de l'augmentation de leur fréquence et de leur gravité attribuable aux changements climatiques ont stimulé la production d'un grand nombre d'articles scientifiques sur l'écologie des incendies. La plupart des chercheurs ont mis l'accent sur les effets à court terme de l'incendie, et les connaissances sur les conséquences à long terme des incendies sur la dynamique des éléments nutritifs de l'écosystème sont encore rares.• Notre objectif est d'améliorer les connaissances actuelles sur les effets à long terme des incendies sur les concentrations labiles d'azote en forêt. Nous avons émis l'hypothèse que les incendies peuvent provoquer une baisse initiale de l'azote organique et de la disponibilité de l'azote inorganique, et de la quantité de biomasse microbienne azotée, ce qui devrait être suivie par la récupération des concentrations d'azote d'avant le feu sur une base de long terme. Nous avons sélectionné une chronoséquence d'incendies dans des forêts de Pinus canariensis sur l'île de La Palma (îles Canaries, Espagne). Ces forêts sont situées sous de faibles dépôts atmosphériques d'origine anthropique, ...

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“…Borhidi & Fernández (11.1%). The number of recorded species was higher than that before fire (22) and homogeneous in the three plots (9 ± 1.9). It is important to note the high presence of several species that were not recorded before fire, i.e., Sorghastrum stipoides (Kunth) Nash (55.6% of total samples), Odontosoria writghiana Maxon.…”

Section: Floristic Richness and Diversitymentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Among these, fire intensity and frequency have shown to be significant variables that act on seed survival, density, mortality, height, crown area, plus basal diameters of seedlings and sprouts in tropical forests [33]. On the other hand, site quality and vegetation structure and composition before fire have to be considered as very important factors to determine the early stages of secondary succession [20,22,45].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early vegetation dynamics of Pinus tropicalis Morelet forests after experimental fire (W Cuba)

Heras

Bonilla²,

Martínez³

2005

Ann. For. Sci.

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-For the first time, fire effects on Pinus tropicalis Morelet (an endemic tree of Cuba) forest is studied. In January 2002, an experimental fire was carried out on a mature Pinus tropicalis forest in the Guaniguanico Mountain Range (W Cuba). Three permanent plots were set and vegetation composition and structure was studied before and one year after fire. The ecological parameters considered were: floristic richness, diversity, abundance, life forms and reproductive strategies of the vegetation. Results showed an increase in floristic richness and abundance of several species. Three endemic species appeared after fire and changes in life form rates were recorded, although pine regeneration was poor. Seeders showed a significant decrease and the number of phanerophyte species with both strategies (seedling and sprouting) increased. Results suggest that fire can be used as a tool to prevent great forest fires if avoiding soil losses and the status of surrounding vegetation is taken into consideration. Pinus tropicalis / endemic / tropical pine forests / fireRésumé -Première étude sur la dynamique de la végétation des forêts de Pinus tropicalis Morelet de Cuba occidental après un feu expérimental. Pour la première fois, on étudie les effets du feu sur des forêts de Pinus tropicalis (un arbre endémique à Cuba). En janvier 2002, on a effectué un brûlage expérimental dans une forêt adulte de P. tropicalis dans le massif de Guaniguanico (Ouest de Cuba). Trois placettes permanentes ont été installées dans la zone à étudier et on a analysé la composition et la structure de la végétation une année après le feu. Les paramètres écologiques considérés ont été : la richesse floristique, la diversité, l'abondance, les formes de vie et la stratégie reproductive de la végétation. Les résultats indiquent une augmentation de la richesse floristique et de l'abondance d'espèces différentes. Trois espèces endémiques sont apparues après le feu et un changement significatif s'est produit dans les pourcentages des formes de vie, même si la régénération de la forêt a été très pauvre. Le nombre d'espèces se reproduisant par graines a diminué significativement tandis que le nombre d'espèces également drageonnantes a augmenté. Les résultats indiquent qu'on pourrait considérer le feu comme un outil sylvicole pour prévenir la propagation d'incendies forestiers si on considère l'état de la végétation des alentours. Pinus tropicalis / endémique / forêts tropicales de pins / feux

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Fire behaviour and severity in a maritime pine stand under differing fuel conditions

Cited by 86 publications

References 26 publications

A model of shrub biomass accumulation as a tool to support management of Portuguese forests

A model of shrub biomass accumulation as a tool to support management of Portuguese forests

Long-term decrease of organic and inorganic nitrogen concentrations due to pine forest wildfire

Early vegetation dynamics of Pinus tropicalis Morelet forests after experimental fire (W Cuba)

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