Scientific support to prescribed underburning in southern Europe: What do we know?

The Science of the Total Environment
Paulo M Fernandes

Abstract

Prescribed burning is a technically demanding and usually highly scrutinized and debated practice. Barriers of various natures have constrained the development of prescribed burning in forests (PUB) in southern Europe, with insufficient research and outreach among the contributing factors. This paper synthesizes PUB knowledge in the region and identifies research needs. PUB research in the western Mediterranean basin was fostered by international cooperative projects that studied the ecological and management ramifications of low-intensity burning for fire hazard mitigation. Effects of PUB on soil and vegetation are minor and short-lived and regulated through forest floor moisture content, fire intensity, tree resistance to fire, and ignition patterns. Generic burn prescriptions are available and specific burn windows targeting site-specific burn objectives can be developed with the existing software tools. However, the need to increase the depth and breadth of PUB research is apparent. Current knowledge is based upon pine forests, particularly Pinus pinaster, as past research has overlooked hardwoods; was obtained across a limited number of research teams and study sites; and essentially reflects short-term treatments. Fuel co...Continue Reading

Citations

Oct 6, 2020·Journal of Environmental Quality·Kipling KlimasDara Park
Feb 20, 2021·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Frederick W RainsfordAndrew F Bennett

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