Ecophysiological characterisation of Phillyrea angustifolia L. and response of resprouts to different fire disturbance intensities

The objective of this work was to analyse functional and structural parameters for plants of Phillyrea angustifolia L., before and after prescribed fires. The study was conducted on 9 plots in the Castel Volturno Nature Reserve. On July 2000 prescribed fires were carried out at two different intensities in 6 plots. The gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and Plant Area Index measurements were performed inside the plots. After the fire phase the P. angustifolia's resprouts showed higher photosynthesis and stomatal conductance values in the burned cells than in individual plants of the unburned areas. Fluorescence data corroborate photosynthesis results indicating different functional responses of the photochemical apparatus between unburned and burned plants. The PAI measurements made enabled the subsequent recovery processes to be assessed. The results obtained have increased our knowledge about the capacity of renewed growth of P angustifolia, and characterised the resilience of this species after fire.