A new index to estimate ecosystem multifunctionality: Theoretical approach and an application to a burned forest of Central Eastern Spain.

Several indexes have been proposed in the scientific literature and widely applied in many environments to evaluate the ecosystem multifunctionality. However, some indexes are based on the simple average of the environmental indicators (EIs) and ecosystem functions (EFs), which do not consider the ecosystem complexity and mutual relationships among the composing variables. In order to overcome these limitations, this study proposes a new method that modifies the ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) index proposed by Maestre et al.

Impacts of prescribed fire and mechanical shredding of aboveground vegetation for fire prevention on ecosystem properties, structure, functions and overall multi-functionality of a semi-arid pine forest.

Ecosystem multi-functionality is a key concept when measured to protect forests from natural and anthropogenic disturbances, such as fire prevention techniques, must be adopted. Despite this importance, scarce studies have analysed the impacts of prescribed burning and aboveground vegetation management on ecosystem functions and overall multi-functionality. To fill this gap, this study has evaluated the changes in some ecosystem properties and structure (associated with soil characteristics and plant diversity, respectively), in important forest functions, and the overall ecosystem multi-functionality in a Mediterranean pine forest of Castilla La Mancha (Central Eastern Spain) under three site conditions: (i) undisturbed ecosystem; (ii) forest subjected to mechanical shredding of aboveground vegetation (hereafter "AVMS"); and (iii) forest treated as above and then with prescribed fire ("AVMS + PF").

Effects of grazing on soil properties in mediterranean forests (Central-Eastern Spain).

Traditional management practices, such as grazing, can have adverse impact on soils. Despite an extensive body of literature exploring the effects of grazing on soil and plants worldwide, there is a notable lack of research on its impacts in Mediterranean forests within the Iberian Peninsula Furthermore, there is a knowledge gap on the enzymatic activities and basal respiration of soil in forest after grazing. To address these gaps, this study aimed to investigate the impact of grazing on various important physicochemical and biological soil properties along with vegetation richness in a Mediterranean forest located in Castilla-La Mancha (Central Eastern Spain).

Short-term recovery of soil and pine tree canopy after late prescribed burning in a semi-arid landscape.

Climate change worsening due to global warming and progressive abandonment in rural areas mean that wildfires are increasing in extent and severity terms, and are one of the major disturbances in the Mediterranean Basin. To mitigate these disturbances, preventive management tools need to be used. Fire employment is being implemented, known as prescribed burnings, as forestry actions to change vegetation lines both vertically and horizontally to eliminate forest fuel load continuity.