A REVIEW OF FIRE EFFECTS ON VEGETATION AND SOIL IN THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

A review of fire effects on vegetation and soil in the Mediterranean basin. Mediterranean ecosystems are prone to forest fires and its recurrence played an important role in the evolution of these ecosystems. In addition, fires were more frequent after humans started controlling them with the aim of managing the landscape. On the contrary, the current depopulation and abandonment of the European Mediterranean forests resulted in an increase of the vegetation cover leading to high intensity fires that burn out of control. This bibliographic revision shows that after a forest fire, the vegetation recovery is relatively fast and fire effects on soil and erosion rates are not catastrophic except the first year. However, the effects of fire in the ecosystems are different depending on the intensity and severity of the fire. For this reason, post-fire treatments are not always necessary. As a conclusion, an appropriate forest management that does not obviate the fire as a key element of the Mediterranean ecosystems is needed.