@article{PAR00009124,
  title = {{R}ecurrent fires and environment shape the vegetation in {Q}uercus suber {L}. woodlands and maquis},
  author = {{S}chaffhauser, {A}. and {C}urt, {T}. and {V}ela, {E}. and {T}atoni, {T}hierry},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he effects of fire recurrence on vegetation patterns in {Q}uercus suber {L} and {E}rica-{C}istus communities in {M}editerranean fire-prone ecosystems of south-eastern {F}rance were examined on stands belonging to 5 fire classes, corresponding to different numbers of fires (from 0 to 4) and time intervals between fires since 1959. {A} common pool of species was identified among the plots, which was typical of both open and closed maquis. {F}ire recurrence reduced the abundance of trees and herbs, whereas it increased the abundance of small shrubs. {R}ichness differed significantly between the most contrasting classes of fire recurrence, with maximal values found in control plots and minimal values in plots that had burned recurrently and recently. {E}quitability indices did not vary significantly, in contrast to {S}hannon's diversity index which mostly correlated with richness. {F}orest ecosystems that have burnt once or twice in the last 50 years were resilient; that is to say they recovered a biomass and composition similar to that of the pre-fire state. {H}owever, after more than 3-4 fires, shrubland communities displayed lower species richness and diversity indices than unburned plots. {T}he time since the last fire and the number of fires were the most explanatory fire variables, governing the structure of post-fire plant communities. {H}owever, environmental factors, such as slope or exposure, also made a significant contribution. {H}igher rates of fire recurrence can affect the persistence or expansion of shrublands in the future, as observed in other {M}editerranean areas.},
  keywords = {{F}ire recurrence ; {P}lant communities ; {C}ork-oak ; {E}rica arborea {L}. ; {A}cidic soil},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}omptes {R}endus {B}iologies},
  volume = {335},
  numero = {6},
  pages = {424--434},
  ISSN = {1631-0691},
  year = {2012},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.crvi.2012.04.006},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00009124},
}