Long-term* fire effects on vegetation and topsoil properties in beech forests of Manjaca Mountain (western Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Marijana Kapović Solomun A , Carla S. S. Ferreira B C , Saša Eremija D , Radislav Tošić E , Nemanja Lazović F and Goran Češljar D G
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest ecology, Stepe Stepanovića 75A, 78000 Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
B Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden.
C Navarino Environmental Observatory, Costa Navarino, Navarino Dunes, Messinia 24001, Greece.
D Institute of Forestry, Kneza Višeslava 3, 11030, Belgrade, Serbia.
E University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, dr Mladena Stojanovića 2, 78000 Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
F Public Forest Enterprise ‘Šume Republike Srpske’ a.d. Sokolac, Trg Republike Srpske 1, 78000 Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
G Corresponding author. Email: cesljargoran@gmail.com
International Journal of Wildland Fire 30(4) 269-282 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF20111
Submitted: 17 July 2020 Accepted: 25 December 2020 Published: 4 February 2021
Abstract
Wildfires are an important driver of land degradation, with detrimental impacts on soil properties, usually leading to decreasing soil fertility and erosion, which affect vegetation recovery. This study investigates the long-term impact of wildfires on topsoil horizons and vegetation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where land degradation is causing significant economic and ecological losses. Ten years after a wildfire, 12 plots were installed in areas affected by low- and medium-severity fire, and in unburned areas. Morphological, physical and chemical soil properties were explored on each plot, together with vegetation cover (number and cover of species). Soil organic matter, carbon, nitrogen and available phosphorus contents in medium- and low-severity fire affected plots are approximately half of those recorded in unburned plots, showing detrimental long-term impacts on soil fertility. Soil cation exchange capacity, pH and available potassium did not show significant differences between fire- and non-fire-affected plots. The number of plant species in medium-severity fire-affected plots is significantly lower than in low-severity and unburned plots. Differentiated plant groups are led by herbaceous (ground-breaking and weed) species. This study shows that wildfires can have long-term impacts on topsoil horizons and vegetation in limestone areas, threatening the sustainability of forest ecosystems.
Keywords: wildfire, 10 years, topsoil properties, vegetation cover, land degradation, limestone.
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