| Title: | Enhanced autosuccession after wildfire in a transitional sub-Mediterranean forest ecosystem: evidence from the Kras Plateau (Slovenia) |
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| Authors: | ID Čarni, Andraž (Author)
ID Breg Valjavec, Mateja (Author)
ID Čahojová, Lucia (Author)
ID Jakob, Aljaž (Author) |
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| Files: |  URL - Source URL, visit https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1772621/full
 PDF - Presentation file, download (9,12 MB)
MD5: 98E07856F0BC81BE98E03E377DAF2F89
 XLSX - Research data, download (211,62 KB)
MD5: A6CAB6A6687C84E124A6590D926B6352
Description: Supplementary Material
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| Language: | English |
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| Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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| Organization: |  ZRC SAZU - The Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
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| Abstract: | Wildfires are becoming an increasingly prevalent phenomenon in sub-Mediterranean regions, including areas where the vegetation is not historically adapted to fire. However, post-fire successional dynamics in these regions remain poorly documented. Vegetation was monitored annually for three years (2023–2025) following a major wildfire on the Kras Plateau (SW Slovenia) in 2022. Monitoring was conducted in 50 permanent plots assigned to five fire-severity classes, including unburned control plots (class 0) and four burned classes (classes 1, 2a, 2b, and 3). We analyzed species composition, vegetation structure, ecological indicator values, species origin and habitat preference, and plant functional traits using ordination and trait-based approaches. Post-fire succession followed an initial floristic composition model and an enhanced autosuccessional pathway across all fire-severity classes. The early dominance of ephemeral and ruderal species declined rapidly, while the abundance of perennial grasses, shrubs, and resprouting woody species increased. Functional traits shifted along the C–R axis of Grime’s CSR strategy framework: from ruderal towards competitive and stress-tolerant, and successional trajectories consistently converged towards zonal thermophilous deciduous forest communities. High amounts of precipitation facilitated rapid structural recovery, with shrubland developing within three years. Sub-Mediterranean forest vegetation on the Kras Plateau exhibits high resilience to wildfire, despite limited historical adaptation to fire. Enhanced autosuccession, combined with favorable post-fire moisture conditions, enables rapid recovery and reduces the likelihood of long-term degradation or the establishment of persistent post-fire shrublands. |
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| Keywords: | autosuccession, forest, Kras Plateau, recovery, sub-Mediterranean, trait, vegetation, wildfire |
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Publication date: | 04.03.2026 |
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| Year of publishing: | 2026 |
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| Number of pages: | 15 str. |
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| Numbering: | Vol. 17 |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/DiRROS-28485  |
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| UDC: | 614.841.42:630 |
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| ISSN on article: | 1664-462X |
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| DOI: | 10.3389/fpls.2026.1772621 |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 270842115 |
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| Copyright: | © 2026 Čarni, Breg Valjavec, Čahojová and Jakob |
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| Note: | Raziskovalni podatki, na katerih temelji objava, so na voljo na https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1772621/full#supplementary-material.
Nasl. z nasl. zaslona;
Opis vira z dne 7. 3. 2026;
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| Publication date in DiRROS: | 21.03.2026 |
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| Views: | 49 |
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| Downloads: | 25 |
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