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International Journal of Wildland Fire
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Article << Previous     |     Next >>   Contents Vol 17(5)

Recurrent wildfires constrain long-term reproduction ability in Pinus halepensis Mill.

Josep Maria Espelta A B, Iraima Verkaik A, Màrcia Eugenio A, Francisco Lloret A

A CREAF (Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications) and Unit of Ecology, Department of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra (Catalonia), Spain.
B Corresponding author. Email: josep.espelta@uab.es
 
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Abstract

Increasing fire recurrence is a major problem threatening Mediterranean-type ecosystems. Moreover, this pattern is predicted to increase owing to global change. Although a reduction in the density and growth of post-fire regeneration is usually observed in recurrently burnt areas, the potential effects on reproductive ability have seldom been explored. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether structural changes induced by fire recurrence may constrain reproduction ability of Pinus halepensis forests. We conducted the current study in Catalonia (NE Spain) in 12 study sites, consisting of two adjacent areas differing in the number of fire events suffered throughout the last 16 years (one v. two fires). Twice-burnt areas showed a lower density of pines, lower pine height and a lower reproductive ability, namely (i) a 3-year delay in the onset of pine reproduction; (ii) a reduction of 52% in the number of reproductive pines; and (iii) a 36% lower mean cone crop per tree. The lower mean cone production per tree coupled with a lower density resulted in an ~80% lower canopy seed bank in twice-burnt areas. These results suggest that the occurrence of a third fire event in twice-burnt areas would severely constrain natural regeneration.

Keywords: canopy seed bank, Mediterranean-type climate, post-fire obligate seeder, serotiny.


   
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