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Salvage logging increases erosion and reduces plant diversity and soil organic carbon four years after a severe wildfire in semi-arid pine forests.

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Title: Salvage logging increases erosion and reduces plant diversity and soil organic carbon four years after a severe wildfire in semi-arid pine forests.
Authors: Zema DA; AGRARIA Department, 'Mediterranea' University of Reggio Calabria, Località Feo di Vito, I-89122, Reggio Calabria, Italy. Electronic address: dzema@unirc.it., Portero López U; School of Advanced Agricultural and Forestry Engineering and Biotechnology, Department of Agroforestry Technology and Science and Genetics, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, E-02071, Albacete, Spain., Carmona Yáñez MD; School of Advanced Agricultural and Forestry Engineering and Biotechnology, Department of Agroforestry Technology and Science and Genetics, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, E-02071, Albacete, Spain., González Jimenez JL; School of Advanced Agricultural and Forestry Engineering and Biotechnology, Department of Agroforestry Technology and Science and Genetics, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, E-02071, Albacete, Spain., Soria Martinez R; School of Advanced Agricultural and Forestry Engineering and Biotechnology, Department of Agroforestry Technology and Science and Genetics, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, E-02071, Albacete, Spain., Plaza-Álvarez PA; School of Advanced Agricultural and Forestry Engineering and Biotechnology, Department of Agroforestry Technology and Science and Genetics, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, E-02071, Albacete, Spain., Lucas-Borja ME; School of Advanced Agricultural and Forestry Engineering and Biotechnology, Department of Agroforestry Technology and Science and Genetics, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, E-02071, Albacete, Spain.
Source: Journal of environmental management [J Environ Manage] 2025 Dec; Vol. 395, pp. 128000. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Nov 18.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Academic Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0401664 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1095-8630 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 03014797 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Environ Manage Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: London ; New York, Academic Press.
MeSH Terms: Wildfires* , Forests* , Soil*/chemistry, Carbon ; Pinus ; Ecosystem ; Biodiversity ; Fires ; Forestry ; Conservation of Natural Resources
Abstract: Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Wildfires have significant and often detrimental effects on forest ecosystems, leading to vegetation loss and alterations in soil properties and hydrology. Post-fire management practices such as salvage logging can introduce additional disturbances, yet their long-term ecological effects remain poorly understood. Most studies have focused on short-term (less than two years) impacts. In contrast, the persistence of these effects over time, particularly in semi-arid Mediterranean environments, has been rarely examined. To address this gap, this study has evaluated the mid-term effects of salvage logging four years after a severe wildfire on key soil properties, vegetation cover and structure, and soil loss across different slopes. Our results show that, even after four years, salvage logging significantly reduced vegetation cover and diversity (by 50-75 %) and decreased total and organic carbon content (by about 30 %). The effects on soil aggregate stability and bulk density were instead not significant. Soil loss increased markedly (by about 250 %) during the most intense rainfall events. These findings suggest that the main driver of vegetation decline was the reduction of soil organic matter rather than changes in physical or hydrological soil properties. This study highlights that the ecological impacts of logging can persist well beyond the short term and must be carefully considered in forest recovery strategies. This emphasises the need to reconsider post-fire management strategies in Mediterranean environments to balance ecological recovery with timber extraction.
(Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Salvage logging; Semi-arid environment; Soil erosion; Soil properties; Vegetation regeneration; Wildfire
Substance Nomenclature: 0 (Soil)
7440-44-0 (Carbon)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20251116 Date Completed: 20251203 Latest Revision: 20251203
Update Code: 20251203
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.128000
PMID: 41242247
Database: MEDLINE
Description
Abstract:Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.<br />Wildfires have significant and often detrimental effects on forest ecosystems, leading to vegetation loss and alterations in soil properties and hydrology. Post-fire management practices such as salvage logging can introduce additional disturbances, yet their long-term ecological effects remain poorly understood. Most studies have focused on short-term (less than two years) impacts. In contrast, the persistence of these effects over time, particularly in semi-arid Mediterranean environments, has been rarely examined. To address this gap, this study has evaluated the mid-term effects of salvage logging four years after a severe wildfire on key soil properties, vegetation cover and structure, and soil loss across different slopes. Our results show that, even after four years, salvage logging significantly reduced vegetation cover and diversity (by 50-75 %) and decreased total and organic carbon content (by about 30 %). The effects on soil aggregate stability and bulk density were instead not significant. Soil loss increased markedly (by about 250 %) during the most intense rainfall events. These findings suggest that the main driver of vegetation decline was the reduction of soil organic matter rather than changes in physical or hydrological soil properties. This study highlights that the ecological impacts of logging can persist well beyond the short term and must be carefully considered in forest recovery strategies. This emphasises the need to reconsider post-fire management strategies in Mediterranean environments to balance ecological recovery with timber extraction.<br /> (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
ISSN:1095-8630
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.128000