Comparison of postfire mortality in endemic Corsican black pine (Pinus nigra ssp. laricio) and its direct competitor (Pinus pinaster)

• DOI: 10.1007/s13595-011-0031-0
• Publication Date: 2011-07-03T23:28:17Z
• Authors: François Pimont; Roger Prodon; Eric Rigolot
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; arbre forestier; pinus; haute corse; résistance au feu; pin; résineux; taux de croissance; 01 natural sciences; PINE; FIRE IMPACT; [SDV.SA.SF]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Silviculture, forestry; incendie de forêt; FIRE IMPACT;PINE;POSTFIRE MORTALITY;SURVIVAL;LOGISTIC REGRESSION;PIN MARITIME;ECOPHYSIOLOGIE;PIN LARICIO; PIN LARICIO; pinus pinaster; forêt méditerranéenne; PIN MARITIME; ECOPHYSIOLOGIE; 15. Life on land; LOGISTIC REGRESSION; SURVIVAL; corse; [SDV.SA.SF] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Silviculture, forestry; POSTFIRE MORTALITY; mortalité

Laricio pine (Pinus nigra J.F. Arn. ssp. laricio (Poiret) Maire var Corsicana Hyl.) is a form of black pine endemic to Corsica, that may now be under threat due to current fire regimes and competition with maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton). This study aimed to compare postfire mortality in laricio and maritime pine in a mixed stand in northwest Corsica. Diameter at breast height, bark char, bole length charred, and tree mortality were measured in 661 trees 9 months after a severe fire. Logistic regressions were used to determine mortality probabilities which, to compare the two species, were expressed in relation to species, age, and species-independent severity indicators. For all ages considered, laricio pine mortality was up to threefold that of maritime pine. The differences between the species were most significant in pines less than 60 years old and exposed to severe conditions. This was mainly due to differences in growth rate between the two species. Considering life history traits, maritime pine appears to be better adapted than laricio pine to the risk of fire. As the frequency of major fires in Corsica is on the increase, constituting a real threat for endemic species, we provide a few management guidelines for conservation of the laricio pine.