Asynchronous postfire recovery dynamics between epilithic lichens and vascular plants in Mediterranean ecosystems

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Botany
• Mycology

Background:

• Wildfires are recurrent disturbances in the Mediterranean Basin.
• Some plant species evolve traits for fire survival and resilience.
• Post-fire ecosystem recovery varies significantly across taxa.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the short-term resilience of vascular plants and epilithic lichens in Sardinia after a 2021 megafire.
• To analyze taxonomic and functional diversity in post-fire plant and lichen communities.
• To understand factors influencing epilithic lichen resilience.

Main Methods:

• Stratified random sampling was used to establish 59 plots (40 burnt, 19 control).
• Vascular plant and epilithic lichen communities were analyzed two years post-fire.
• Species richness and functional traits were assessed to evaluate taxonomic and functional diversity.

Main Results:

• Vascular plants exhibited high taxonomic and functional recovery.
• Epilithic lichen diversity and abundance were significantly reduced.
• Lichen diversity correlated positively with rockiness and negatively with fire intensity.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant asynchrony in short-term post-fire resilience between vascular plants and lichens.
• Low lichen resilience indicates a potential functional imbalance in the ecosystem.
• Cross-taxon approaches are crucial for effective ecosystem restoration and resilience assessment.