Fires have historically played a natural role in shaping ecosystems,contributing to biodiversity and ecological renewal.However,in the Anthropocene,the interplay of climate change and human activities has exacerbated ...Fires have historically played a natural role in shaping ecosystems,contributing to biodiversity and ecological renewal.However,in the Anthropocene,the interplay of climate change and human activities has exacerbated fire frequency and intensity,with cascading impacts on soil health,biodiversity,and ecosystem resilience.This study highlights the complex effects of fire on soil ecosystems,particularly in Mediterranean environments,by analysing the aftermath of the 2021 wildfire in Aspromonte National Park.The results of this research reveal the multifaceted impact of fire on soil composition and biological activity.Burned areas exhibited altered microbial communities,characterized by a higher biomass of bacteria and actinomycetes but reduced fungal presence,aligning with findings that fungi are more sensitive to heat than other microorganisms,particularly under moist conditions.Changes in enzyme activity,such as decreased oxidoreductase and hydrolase activities but elevated catalase activity,suggest significant metabolic adjustments among surviving microbial strains.Additionally,increased potassium,magnesium,sulphates,and total phenols in burned areas point to shifts in nutrient dynamics driven by the combustion of organic matter.Fire also impacted microarthropod communities but the rapid recovery of microarthropod communities that has been recognized by numerous authors suggests that fire may not universally impair soil biodiversity in Mediterranean environments.The transition zone played a critical intermediate role,retaining a higher organic matter content than the unburned zone,suggesting its potential as a buffer or recovery zone in post-fire dynamics.Microarthropod communities,while initially affected,demonstrated resilience in line with previous research,indicating that Mediterranean soils might possess adaptive mechanisms to recover from low-to moderate-severity wildfires.Importantly,the incorporation of ashes and partially burned organic material in such fires may lead to enhanced soil fertility,fostering bacterial and actinomycetes proliferation and facilitating ecosystem recovery.展开更多
We investigated the effects of a long-term thinning experiment on the distribution of above-ground biomass of Douglas-fir （Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco var. menziesii） in a plantation in southern Italy. Allo...We investigated the effects of a long-term thinning experiment on the distribution of above-ground biomass of Douglas-fir （Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco var. menziesii） in a plantation in southern Italy. Allometric equations were used to estimate biomass and partitioning to stem and crown compartments. Variation in biomass stock estimated with allometric equations were evaluated according to seven thinning treatments： geo- metric-systematic （1 row every 3）, selective （light-moderate-heavy）, mixed systematic-selective （1 row every 4, 1 row every 5）, unthinned （control）. Over the experimental period of 13 years, current annual increments of carbon were lower （3.4 Mg ha^-1 year^-1） in control plots than in treated plots. At age 30, plots subjected to light selective thinning showed higher values of above-ground biomass （249.7 Mg ha^-1）. The biomass harvested with this treatment was 29.3 Mg ha^-1, and the mean annual increment of carbon over 13 years was 4.8 Mg ha^-1. Our results showed that light thinning stimulated increase in carbon stock, with a minimal loss of carbon during the treatment and a current annual increment of carbon higher than in control sub-plots and sub-plots thinned using systematic methods. This treatment yielded least carbon emissions and we affirm it has discrete global warming mitigation potential.展开更多
Prescribed fire,although having low intensity and being able to reduce the risk of wildfire may modify soil properties in the short term,with possible increases in runoffand erosion risk.Soil mulching with vegetation ...Prescribed fire,although having low intensity and being able to reduce the risk of wildfire may modify soil properties in the short term,with possible increases in runoffand erosion risk.Soil mulching with vegetation residues is one of the most common post-fire management strategies.Residues of fern,which is abundant on the Mediterranean forest floor,may be used to replace straw for mulching fireaffected areas.However,the effects of prescribed fires are not completely understood,and there is no data regarding the use of fern to protect soil after fire in the literature.To fill this gap,selected soil chemical parameters were analyzed,on a comparative basis,in three Mediterranean forests(pine,oak and chestnut)in Calabria(Southern Italy).These parameters were measured immediately and one year after fire in unburned,burned and not treated,and burned and mulched soils.Changes in soil chemical properties among the different treatments were significant,and the effects of the prescribed fire and mulching were dependent on the time elapsed from their application and forest species.In general,mulching was not effective in limiting the changes in the monitored soil properties compared to the pre-fire values.Each forest species showed different temporal trends in changes of soil properties.展开更多
基金funding provided by Universitàdegli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria within the CRUI-CARE Agreementfunded by Calabrian Region,grant number DDL n°16315657 del 13-12-2022,POR CALABRIA FESR-FSE 2014-2020 ASSE I-PROMOZIONE DELLA RICERCA 658 E DELL’INNOVAZIONE.
文摘Fires have historically played a natural role in shaping ecosystems,contributing to biodiversity and ecological renewal.However,in the Anthropocene,the interplay of climate change and human activities has exacerbated fire frequency and intensity,with cascading impacts on soil health,biodiversity,and ecosystem resilience.This study highlights the complex effects of fire on soil ecosystems,particularly in Mediterranean environments,by analysing the aftermath of the 2021 wildfire in Aspromonte National Park.The results of this research reveal the multifaceted impact of fire on soil composition and biological activity.Burned areas exhibited altered microbial communities,characterized by a higher biomass of bacteria and actinomycetes but reduced fungal presence,aligning with findings that fungi are more sensitive to heat than other microorganisms,particularly under moist conditions.Changes in enzyme activity,such as decreased oxidoreductase and hydrolase activities but elevated catalase activity,suggest significant metabolic adjustments among surviving microbial strains.Additionally,increased potassium,magnesium,sulphates,and total phenols in burned areas point to shifts in nutrient dynamics driven by the combustion of organic matter.Fire also impacted microarthropod communities but the rapid recovery of microarthropod communities that has been recognized by numerous authors suggests that fire may not universally impair soil biodiversity in Mediterranean environments.The transition zone played a critical intermediate role,retaining a higher organic matter content than the unburned zone,suggesting its potential as a buffer or recovery zone in post-fire dynamics.Microarthropod communities,while initially affected,demonstrated resilience in line with previous research,indicating that Mediterranean soils might possess adaptive mechanisms to recover from low-to moderate-severity wildfires.Importantly,the incorporation of ashes and partially burned organic material in such fires may lead to enhanced soil fertility,fostering bacterial and actinomycetes proliferation and facilitating ecosystem recovery.
文摘We investigated the effects of a long-term thinning experiment on the distribution of above-ground biomass of Douglas-fir （Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco var. menziesii） in a plantation in southern Italy. Allometric equations were used to estimate biomass and partitioning to stem and crown compartments. Variation in biomass stock estimated with allometric equations were evaluated according to seven thinning treatments： geo- metric-systematic （1 row every 3）, selective （light-moderate-heavy）, mixed systematic-selective （1 row every 4, 1 row every 5）, unthinned （control）. Over the experimental period of 13 years, current annual increments of carbon were lower （3.4 Mg ha^-1 year^-1） in control plots than in treated plots. At age 30, plots subjected to light selective thinning showed higher values of above-ground biomass （249.7 Mg ha^-1）. The biomass harvested with this treatment was 29.3 Mg ha^-1, and the mean annual increment of carbon over 13 years was 4.8 Mg ha^-1. Our results showed that light thinning stimulated increase in carbon stock, with a minimal loss of carbon during the treatment and a current annual increment of carbon higher than in control sub-plots and sub-plots thinned using systematic methods. This treatment yielded least carbon emissions and we affirm it has discrete global warming mitigation potential.
基金supported by the Ph.D.fellowship Programma Operativo Nazionale Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020,Fondo Sociale Europeo,Azione I.1“Dottorati Innovativi con Caratterizzazione Industriale”granted by the Italian Ministry of EducationUniversity and Research(MIUR)2018-2021。
文摘Prescribed fire,although having low intensity and being able to reduce the risk of wildfire may modify soil properties in the short term,with possible increases in runoffand erosion risk.Soil mulching with vegetation residues is one of the most common post-fire management strategies.Residues of fern,which is abundant on the Mediterranean forest floor,may be used to replace straw for mulching fireaffected areas.However,the effects of prescribed fires are not completely understood,and there is no data regarding the use of fern to protect soil after fire in the literature.To fill this gap,selected soil chemical parameters were analyzed,on a comparative basis,in three Mediterranean forests(pine,oak and chestnut)in Calabria(Southern Italy).These parameters were measured immediately and one year after fire in unburned,burned and not treated,and burned and mulched soils.Changes in soil chemical properties among the different treatments were significant,and the effects of the prescribed fire and mulching were dependent on the time elapsed from their application and forest species.In general,mulching was not effective in limiting the changes in the monitored soil properties compared to the pre-fire values.Each forest species showed different temporal trends in changes of soil properties.
