Combinative effects of thinning and prescribed burning on fuel reduction and soil arthropods: A case study in a Mediterranean pine forest.

Wildfire pressure involves today to implement silvicultural practices that provide a good compromise between reducing fire risk and maintaining ecological functioning. Thinning reduces tree density and low branches, but results in the deposition of a considerable biomass of woody debris on the ground (up to 4800 g m in this study). They can be eliminated by prescribed burning, but this raises questions about the fire intensity that can be generated and the impact on soil fauna.