Abstract
Biomass and chemical composition in six dominant field and bottom layer species have been recorded for 5 years after a wildfire in a coastal pine forest in Sveio, West Norway, in June 1992. As a follow-up of this study, the percentage coverage of field and bottom layer species and the regeneration of main tree species (Pinus sylvestris, Betula pubescens, and Salix spp.) were recorded in 1997, 2001, and 2008. Preliminary results indicate that the three dominant field layer species, Calluna vulgaris, Molinia caerulea, and Pteridium aquilinum, had expanded at the expense of other species, in particular Vaccinium myrtillus, V. vitis-idaea, Deschampsia flexuosa, and pioneer moss species, for example, Polytrichum spp. Seedlings of pine and saplings of birch and other deciduous species had established in the burned areas, and the succession of these species was followed and compared with nearby control plots. The strong growth of Calluna vulgaris after the fire indicates that periodic controlled burning may be an alternative management method of balancing carbon uptake rates in coastal areas of western Norway.
Highlights
Forest fires have become more common recently as a result of climatic change resulting in warmer and drier summers
Many plant and insect species are dependent on periodic fires in order to survive, and in Norway, as many as 40 redlisted species are related to forest fires [3]
The overall biomass of main field layer species was estimated using the mentioned indirect method [15] where the biomass per shoot was multiplied with the shoot density and the coverage of the same species
Summary
Forest fires have become more common recently as a result of climatic change resulting in warmer and drier summers. Many plant and insect species are dependent on periodic fires in order to survive, and in Norway, as many as 40 redlisted species are related to forest fires [3]. Forest fires may remove competition from some species, thereby favoring others [4]. Some species like the heather (Calluna vulgaris) and the herb Geranium bohemicum have seeds that are activated by fire [5, 6]. Most pine species like the coastal Pinus sylvestris growing in Fennoscandia are adapted to fire in the sense that they reproduce by seeds, which germinate more after a fire
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
