Post-fire regeneration patterns in the European Alps
Abstract ID: 3.12927 | Accepted as Poster | Poster | TBA | TBA
Nicolò Anselmetto (1)
Davide Marangon (2), Giulia Mantero (1), Frederic Berger (3), Milan Kobal (4), Andrey Krasovskiy (5), Marie-Pierre Michaud (6), Christine Moos (7), Timoté Pesenti (6), Flavio Taccaliti (2), Michaela Teich (8), Matteo Garbarino (1), Raffaella Marzano (1), Emanuele Lingua (2)
(2) Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
(3) Laboratory Ecosystems and Society in Mountains Research Unit (LESSEM), INRAE, Saint Martin d'Hères, France
(4) Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
(5) Agriculture, Forestry, and Ecosystem Services Research Group, IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria
(6) Mountain land restoration service of Hautes-Alpes, Office National des Forêts (ONF), Gap, France
(7) School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, BFH, Zollikofen, Switzerland
(8) Department of Natural Hazards, BFW, Innsbruck, Austria
Changes in climate and land use are altering wildfire regimes globally, with mountainous regions such as the European Alps being particularly affected due to declining land management and increasing fire-prone conditions. Longer dry periods, land abandonment, and increase in continuous forest cover lead to larger and more severe wildfires in these areas.
This study investigates post-fire forest regeneration dynamics throughout the entire Alpine Space, and specifically aims to (i) investigate the drivers and dynamics of short- and medium-term (1–15 years) post-fire regeneration following mixed- and high-severity wildfires and (ii) assess the potential impact of post-fire recovery dynamics on the protective functions of coniferous and mixed forests in the Alps.ù
We surveyed 18 sites in Austria, France, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland that had been affected by wildfires 1 to 25 years prior to data collection. At each site, we assessed the density, species composition, and structure of post-fire forest regeneration, as well as ground cover and the occurrence of deadwood. Key drivers of regeneration were evaluated. In particular, we included time since the disturbance, fire severity, as obtained from a recent forest disturbance map for the Alps, and topographic and climatic predictors derived from global datasets.
Our study provides a valuable overview of post-fire forest regeneration dynamics across the Alps, highlighting both similarities between sites and site-specific dynamics of forest recovery. Preliminary results reveal the interplay between fire severity, species composition, and site-specific conditions in shaping regeneration patterns. Forests that serve as natural barriers against rockfall, avalanches, and landslides may experience altered and/or delayed functionality if regeneration fails and there are shifts toward a less resistant and resilient structure and composition. This study can provide recommendations for land managers and decision makers, emphasizing the importance of targeted restoration planning to maintain protective forest functions in the face of increasing wildfire risk.
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