Thinning and plantation of resprouting species redirect overstocked pine stands towards more functional communities in the Mediterranean basin

Abstract

Post-fire regeneration in Pinus halepensis' forests, one of the most abundant vegetation types in the Mediterranean basin, often generates overstocked and vulnerable stands. They accumulate a high fuel load, increasing the risk of further fires, and present high levels of vulnerability due to their reduced seed production. In addition, these dense stands substantially reduce the availability of light and nutrients, which may hinder the recruitment of other species, often generating mono-specific and homogeneous stands, which potentially supply fewer ecosystem services than mixed forests with more heterogeneous structures. In these dense pine stands, management is of high priority to reduce fire hazards and promote their functionality. In overstocked pine stands (>75,000 trees·ha^-1), we assessed the long-term effects (10 years) of two thinning levels (600 and 1200 trees·ha^-1), in combination with the plantation of Quercus faginea (a resprouter species typical of advanced successional stages in our study area) on 28 above and belowground ecosystem attributes, including fire hazard. After ten years, thinning and plantation interacted to enhance ecosystem attributes associated with disturbance regulation and biodiversity conservation (up to 200%) and food production (up to 90%), while no effects were observed on those attributes related to carbon sequestration and supporting services. These effects were mainly driven by aboveground attributes, as they responded more strongly to our treatments than those belowground. Our results are relevant for the restoration of Mediterranean degraded ecosystems, and show that tree thinning in overstocked pine stands, combined with the plantation of resprouter species, may not only reduce fire risks and accelerate post-fire succession but also enhance the supply of multiple ecosystem services in the long run.

Keywords: Dense pine stands; Ecosystem functionality; Ecosystem services; Fuel control; Mixed-pine forest; Restoration activities.