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Post‐fire land degradation of Pinus sylvestris L. woodlands after 14 years
Author(s) -
PérezCabello F.,
Ibarra P.,
Echeverría M. T.,
de la Riva J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.925
Subject(s) - woodland , environmental science , shrubland , erosion , vegetation (pathology) , deciduous , organic matter , pinus <genus> , herbaceous plant , ecosystem , soil science , agronomy , ecology , geology , botany , biology , geomorphology , medicine , pathology
This study analysed medium‐term degradation in Pinus sylvestris L. woodland affected by wildfire. To investigate recovery, a range of pedological (including thickness of the organic horizon, soil structure and texture, organic matter content, pH and the percentage of carbonates), geomorphological and vegetation parameters were assessed in comparable burnt and control plots. Main findings suggest that fire in the medium‐term leads to severe degradation of P. sylvestris L. woodland ecosystems. The main consequences of the passage of fire are: (1) transformation of P. sylvestris L. woodlands into shrublands dominated by Genista scorpius (L.) DC, Buxus sempervirens L. and herbaceous species; (2) decrease in the thickness of the O horizon and its degradation and (3) increase in soil erosion features, due to the detachment of soil particles by rain‐splash or overland flow and their transport downslope. These results could help to provide guidelines for the restoration of burnt areas to minimise the effects of wildfires. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.