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Processes of post-fire vegetation regeneration in south-eastern Spain: Searching for fire adaptation
Forest Ecology and Management 234S (2006) S156
Abstract
Processes of post-fire vegetation regeneration in south-eastern Spain: Searching for fire adaptation Constanze Buhk a, Isabell Hensen b a
UFZ, Centre for Environmental Research, Disturbance Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany b Institute of Geobotany, University of Halle, Am Kirchtor 1, 06109 Halle, Germany
Keywords: Evolution; Germination; Global change; Murcia; Resprouter; Seed bank; Seeder; Succession
In contrast to the widespread opinion that in the Mediterranean Basin, after fire vegetation composition returns directly to the pre-fire state, during the last years, local observations provided evidence for post-fire changes in vegetation composition and degradation of land. The high resilience of plants towards fire disturbance, which leads to direct succession (auto succession) was attributed to the adaptation of the plants to frequent historic fire events. If direct succession is no longer self-evident, either, the degree of vegetation adaptation has been overestimated, or the effect of limited power to recover is a consequence of global change (altered land use and/or climate change) and the adaptation is no longer sufficient. This question cannot be tackled without the knowledge of the specific success of different regeneration mechanisms and their interrelation with ecological factors. However, a scientific gap exists, as most studies observing recolonisation of post-fire sites do not couple the overall vegetation regeneration patterns with detailed analyses of potential drivers (like disturbance regime or micro-climate).
DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2006.08.207 E-mail addresses: [email protected] (C. Buhk), [email protected] (I. Hensen).
Many of them are limited to descriptions of successional processes or restricted to regeneration modes of single species only. Detailed information on regeneration mechanisms (e.g. the resprouting ability, the germination characteristics of the abundant species and the seed bank composition in a given area) including the impact of drivers, would help to explain regeneration patterns and to forecast the post-fire regeneration success of populations and vegetation patterns. Within this presentation, major results and conclusions from various detailed studies that have been carried out in Murcia during the last 5 years are summarised. A main outcome is that no strict species adaptation specific to fire is found, however, the regeneration process is very successful. The research area is characterised by overall low fire impact, though, historically, a variety of other disturbances were present. The patterns of regeneration mechanisms correlated partly with micro-climatic data. This brings forward the high sensibility of the regeneration process to local climate and, accordingly, to climate change.
Abstract
Processes of post-fire vegetation regeneration in south-eastern Spain: Searching for fire adaptation Constanze Buhk a, Isabell Hensen b a
UFZ, Centre for Environmental Research, Disturbance Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany b Institute of Geobotany, University of Halle, Am Kirchtor 1, 06109 Halle, Germany
Keywords: Evolution; Germination; Global change; Murcia; Resprouter; Seed bank; Seeder; Succession
In contrast to the widespread opinion that in the Mediterranean Basin, after fire vegetation composition returns directly to the pre-fire state, during the last years, local observations provided evidence for post-fire changes in vegetation composition and degradation of land. The high resilience of plants towards fire disturbance, which leads to direct succession (auto succession) was attributed to the adaptation of the plants to frequent historic fire events. If direct succession is no longer self-evident, either, the degree of vegetation adaptation has been overestimated, or the effect of limited power to recover is a consequence of global change (altered land use and/or climate change) and the adaptation is no longer sufficient. This question cannot be tackled without the knowledge of the specific success of different regeneration mechanisms and their interrelation with ecological factors. However, a scientific gap exists, as most studies observing recolonisation of post-fire sites do not couple the overall vegetation regeneration patterns with detailed analyses of potential drivers (like disturbance regime or micro-climate).
DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2006.08.207 E-mail addresses: [email protected] (C. Buhk), [email protected] (I. Hensen).
Many of them are limited to descriptions of successional processes or restricted to regeneration modes of single species only. Detailed information on regeneration mechanisms (e.g. the resprouting ability, the germination characteristics of the abundant species and the seed bank composition in a given area) including the impact of drivers, would help to explain regeneration patterns and to forecast the post-fire regeneration success of populations and vegetation patterns. Within this presentation, major results and conclusions from various detailed studies that have been carried out in Murcia during the last 5 years are summarised. A main outcome is that no strict species adaptation specific to fire is found, however, the regeneration process is very successful. The research area is characterised by overall low fire impact, though, historically, a variety of other disturbances were present. The patterns of regeneration mechanisms correlated partly with micro-climatic data. This brings forward the high sensibility of the regeneration process to local climate and, accordingly, to climate change.