From monospecific to mixed forest after fire?: An early forecast for the montane belt of Majella, Italy

Abstract

Alternative hypotheses on post-fire successions of monospecific European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) forests are investigated. The research area is located in the centre of the Apennine montane belt, Italy and covers portions of the Roccamorice and Lettomanoppello municipalities within the Majella National Park. Temporal moderate-resolution (MODIS) and spatial mid-resolution (ASTER) imagery are combined for the assessment of the 2007-fire features. Tree seedlings were surveyed on the ground in post-fire forests and their unburnt equivalents during September 2008. The satellite imagery analysis provides records on spread, intensity, location and extent of the forest fires. The evidence suggests an abandoned farmland fire spreading secondarily uphill into the forests.The early post-fire beech forest manifests primarily beech seedlings and beech sprouts, rarely interspersed with seedlings of maples (Acer spp.) and manna-ash (Fraxinus ornus L.), indicating a low probability of succession to mixed forest. The post-fire pine plantation appears to convert to a manna-ash bush-woodland, whereas the unburnt pine manifests succession to a mixed forest with beech and maples. Based on our findings, specific fire control and silvicultural interventions are recommended.