Relationship Between Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery and Soil Temperature in the Mediterranean Forest
In Mediterranean regions, fires are a key ecological factor, altering soil properties, biodiversity, and landscape dynamics. Post-fire recovery varies based on vegetation type, fire severity, and climate conditions. However, the specific relationship between post-fire vegetation recovery and soil te...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Fire |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/3/91 |
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| author | Giulia Calderisi Enrico Salaris Donatella Cogoni Ivo Rossetti Filippo Murtas Giuseppe Fenu |
| author_facet | Giulia Calderisi Enrico Salaris Donatella Cogoni Ivo Rossetti Filippo Murtas Giuseppe Fenu |
| author_sort | Giulia Calderisi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In Mediterranean regions, fires are a key ecological factor, altering soil properties, biodiversity, and landscape dynamics. Post-fire recovery varies based on vegetation type, fire severity, and climate conditions. However, the specific relationship between post-fire vegetation recovery and soil temperature regimes remains poorly investigated. This study investigates this relationship in an area severely affected by a megafire. Three plots (unburned, low-severity fire, and high-severity fire) were monitored for species richness, vegetation cover and height, and soil temperature, with data from 2021 to 2024 analyzed. Vegetation surveys revealed that fire severity influenced species richness and vegetation cover and height. Particularly, burned areas showed a higher proliferation of pioneer and herbaceous species three years post-fire. Moreover, after the same period, burned areas showed consistently higher soil temperatures than the unburned ones, reflecting altered microclimatic conditions. This could be because the presence of more pioneer and herbaceous species is insufficient to mitigate the air temperatures. Our results show the impact of fires on soil and vegetation, highlighting the critical role of vegetation in modeling soil temperature. However, long-term monitoring is necessary to assess the real effect of vegetation type on soil temperature. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0edab59debc04426a0fe62caa76fc697 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2571-6255 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fire |
| spelling | doaj-art-0edab59debc04426a0fe62caa76fc6972025-08-20T03:43:22ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552025-02-01839110.3390/fire8030091Relationship Between Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery and Soil Temperature in the Mediterranean ForestGiulia Calderisi0Enrico Salaris1Donatella Cogoni2Ivo Rossetti3Filippo Murtas4Giuseppe Fenu5Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, ItalyServizio Tecnico Forestale, Agenzia Forestas, Viale Luigi Merello, 86, 09123 Cagliari, ItalyDepartment of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, ItalyResearch Centre of S. Teresa, ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development), 19032 Lerici, ItalyServizio Territoriale di Oristano, Agenzia Forestas, Complesso Forestale Montiferru Planargia, 09170 Oristano, ItalyDepartment of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, ItalyIn Mediterranean regions, fires are a key ecological factor, altering soil properties, biodiversity, and landscape dynamics. Post-fire recovery varies based on vegetation type, fire severity, and climate conditions. However, the specific relationship between post-fire vegetation recovery and soil temperature regimes remains poorly investigated. This study investigates this relationship in an area severely affected by a megafire. Three plots (unburned, low-severity fire, and high-severity fire) were monitored for species richness, vegetation cover and height, and soil temperature, with data from 2021 to 2024 analyzed. Vegetation surveys revealed that fire severity influenced species richness and vegetation cover and height. Particularly, burned areas showed a higher proliferation of pioneer and herbaceous species three years post-fire. Moreover, after the same period, burned areas showed consistently higher soil temperatures than the unburned ones, reflecting altered microclimatic conditions. This could be because the presence of more pioneer and herbaceous species is insufficient to mitigate the air temperatures. Our results show the impact of fires on soil and vegetation, highlighting the critical role of vegetation in modeling soil temperature. However, long-term monitoring is necessary to assess the real effect of vegetation type on soil temperature.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/3/91megafireMediterranean basinMontiferru massifplant richnessvegetation coverSardinia |
| spellingShingle | Giulia Calderisi Enrico Salaris Donatella Cogoni Ivo Rossetti Filippo Murtas Giuseppe Fenu Relationship Between Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery and Soil Temperature in the Mediterranean Forest Fire megafire Mediterranean basin Montiferru massif plant richness vegetation cover Sardinia |
| title | Relationship Between Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery and Soil Temperature in the Mediterranean Forest |
| title_full | Relationship Between Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery and Soil Temperature in the Mediterranean Forest |
| title_fullStr | Relationship Between Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery and Soil Temperature in the Mediterranean Forest |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship Between Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery and Soil Temperature in the Mediterranean Forest |
| title_short | Relationship Between Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery and Soil Temperature in the Mediterranean Forest |
| title_sort | relationship between post fire vegetation recovery and soil temperature in the mediterranean forest |
| topic | megafire Mediterranean basin Montiferru massif plant richness vegetation cover Sardinia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/3/91 |
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