2025-12-01 EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH 2025 144(卷), 6(期), (1551-1567页)
The studies that have explored the variability in ecosystem functions and multifunctionality after a wildfire and forest restoration actions are few, and generally have been carried out only in the short term. To fill this gap, this study has evaluated the changes in important ecosystem functions and ecosystem multifunctionality in a Mediterranean forest burned by a wildfire and treated using log erosion barriers or contour felled log debris. The effects of these post-fire management techniques have been compared to burned and untreated, and unburned sites in Castilla La Mancha (Central Eastern Spain) throughout eleven years. A progressive decrease in all ecosystem functions as well as the multifunctionality in burned and untreated sites has been generally detected. The ecosystem functions (especially nutrient cycling and climate regulation) and multifunctionality evolved differently over time in sites treated with log erosion barriers or contour felled log debris. In the short term, the recovery of ecosystem multifunctionality was slow for both techniques, while, in contrast, this recovery was much faster in sites treated with log erosion barriers in the long term. Most individual functions were statistically similar among sites with contour felled log debris and log erosion barriers, and unburned areas. The multifunctionality of the latter ecosystem was not fully restored to the pre-fire level, even using log erosion barriers. Overall, the study supports land managers in adopting post-fire management actions for the recovery of ecosystem functions and multifunctionality in severely burned forests.