The Effects of Recurrent Fires on Species Composition and Aboveground Biomass in a Mediterranean Oak ( Quercus Suber L.) Forest in North-West Algeria

Abstract

Mediterranean forests are vulnerable to fires because of their high fuel load and prolonged summer, making biomass and carbon stock susceptible to decline. However, there is little quantitative data on how fire affects carbon stock and biomass in the Mediterranean oak forest of Algeria. This study assessed the impact of fire on aboveground biomass carbon storage in the Hafir-Zariffet oak forest, located in Tlemcen, North-West Algeria. To analyze fire recurrence, the study used Landsat 5, 7, and 8 satellite imagery (1989–2019) to generate a fire frequency map. A total of seven fire frequency classes were classified throughout the study area, ranging from B4 to B13 (burned four to thirteen times).The study recorded 7 species from 5 different genera and 4 families throughout the study period. The overall mean basal area across the study area, combining all fire frequency classes, was 14.09 m2/ha. The values varied considerably among classes, ranging from 1.07 m2/ha in B13 to 37.21 m2/ha in B8. The tree density ranged from 150 ha–1 (B11) to 1270 ha–1(B8). The maximum aboveground carbon stock was in B8 (110.86 tons/ha), which was 15 times greater than the carbon stock in B13 (7.43 tons/ha). The findings of the study imply that one of the main disturbances capable of influencing carbon storage and vegetation dynamics is frequent fires.