La ripresa della vegetazione mediterranea dopo il passaggio degli incendi: il caso di studio del Monte Castellare (PI) - Toscana nord-occidentale

In Mediterranean ecosystems, wildfires are a key factor that affects vegetation and landscapes. In particular, recurrent wildfires are dramatically dangerous because they can compromise ecosystem resilience. In this view, the present work aimed to study the effects of fire events on the Mediterranean vegetation of Castellare Mount (Pisa). Castellare Mount seemed an interesting study place since two wildfires occurred in 2008 and 2009. The study area was divided into three sites: one site interested by the wildfire event occurred in 2009, another site interested by the wildfire event occurred in 2008, and a control site. Seven dominant plant species (Arbutus unedo L., Daphne gnidium L., Erica arborea L., Myrtus communis L., Phillyrea angustifolia L., Pinus pinaster Aiton and Quercus x morisii Borzì) were selected in each study site. For each species an index of flammability (IF) was calculated, following a non-destructive protocol that took into account seven functional traits related to leaves, twigs, canopy branching, standing litter, and volatile oils production. Moreover, a global flammability index was calculated for each study site. Results showed that all the plant species had quite high values of flammability, which could be explained by their adaptations to fire. In fact, all the taxa examined were active pyrophytes, whose regeneration are stimulated by fire events. However, vegetation survey highlighted a slower process of plant community recovery in the first year after the wildfire event than those observed in the subsequent years. In conclusion, recurrent wildfires are confirmed extremely dangerous because they compromise the recovery of Mediterranean vegetation.