Spatio-temporal vegetation recuperation after a grassland fire in Lithuania

Abstract

The aim of this work is to study the spatio-temporal effects of a grassland fire in Lithuania. Immediately after the fire, a experimental plot was designed in a east-faced slope. Vegetation cover and height were measured 10, 17, 31 and 46 days after the fire (vegetation cover was only measured until 31 days after the fire because in the last measurement campaign the plot was completely covered). The results showed that vegetation recovered very fast. Ten days after the fire vegetation cover and height distribution were heterogeneous, decreasing with the time due to vegetation spread. Vegetation recovered was specially observed between 17 and 31 days after the fire due vegetation recuperation. This increase might reduce the soil vulnerability to erosion However, the spatial structure of this recuperation was different in both variables, and spatial autocorrelation was higher in vegetation cover than vegetation in height in all measurements. Despite these differences, vegetation cover and height values were higher in the bottom part of the plot that was attributed to lower fire severity and ash and nutrient transport.