Robust recovery: resprouting and water stress response of a mixed evergreen forest following wildfire and salvage logging

Abstract

Key Message

Post-wildfire salvage logging did not significantly impact the physiological recovery of resprouts in four evergreen hardwood tree species, suggesting salvage logging can be an effective post-fire management practice in mixed evergreen forests.

Abstract

Wildfires are threatening forest recovery worldwide due to climate change driven increases in severity and frequency. An important consideration for recovery is the post-fire land management practices, such as salvage logging, which can act as a secondary disturbance in forest communities. While much research has been done on certain forest types following wildfire and salvage logging (e.g., economically valuable conifer forests), mixed evergreen hardwood systems are extremely understudied. Here we investigated the impact of high severity wildfire and post-fire salvage logging on the physiological recovery of four resprouting evergreen tree species: Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii), tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), and California bay (Umbellularia californica). We collected water potential, hydraulic, anatomical and leaf data on resprouts occurring at the intact and salvage logged sites, in addition to microclimate data, over a period of two years. We found few significantly different trait effects as a result of salvage logging, suggesting a robust recovery ability of these tree species to repeated disturbance events.