Understorey fuel load estimation along two post-fire chronosequences of Pinus halepensis Mill. forests in Central Greece |
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Authors: | Dimitris Kazanis Gavriil Xanthopoulos Margarita Arianoutsou |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Athens, 157 84, Panepistimiopolis, Greece;(2) National Agricultural Research Foundation, Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems and Forest Products Technology, Terma Alkmanos, Ilisia, 115 28, Athens, Greece |
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Abstract: | Pinus halepensis forests are among the forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean Basin most affected by fire. Their distribution across lowland
areas, in particular along the wildland–urban interface, increases the need to understand their ecology and responses to fire
regime for their effective management. Apart from the extremely flammable tree layer, in several stands of these forests there
is an increased fuel load attributed to the well-developed understorey of evergreen sclerophyllous shrubs. Taking into consideration
that, in contrast with the long period required for full development of post-fire-regenerating pines, these shrubs resprout
vigorously within the first post-fire weeks, it is important to explore the temporal trend of fuel accumulation to determine
the risk of a second fire across a burned landscape. Two post-fire chronosequences of, in total, 12 P. halepensis stands were considered for sampling in Central Greece. The first chronosequence corresponds to pine stands characterized
by the dominance of evergreen sclerophyllous shrubs in the understorey (Type 1) whereas the second chronosequence corresponds
to pine stands where the cover of such shrubs was lower (Type 2). This study helps in understanding the fuel dynamics according
to the type of P. halepensis forest stand and to anticipate future biomass growth. The proposed equations are simple tools, enabling land managers to
estimate understorey total fuel load easily by visually recording the cover and height of the evergreen sclerophyllous shrub
component, to justify understorey fuel reduction measures. |
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