Rising from the ashes: understanding the soil resilience and social significance of wildfires

Wildfires represent a significant environmental challenge globally, impacting ecosystems and human communities alike. The Mediterranean regions, including Italy as well as Northern Europe, including the United Kingdom (UK), have witnessed a surge in wildfire occurrence and severity in recent decades, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive research to understand and mitigate their effects.

This doctoral thesis addresses this by examining the sensitivity of soils to wildfires in Italy and the UK respectively as well as an exploration into the social significance of wildfires in the UK rural landscape.

The overarching objectives of this interdisciplinary research endeavour are threefold: (i) to evaluate the increasingly frequent and severe impacts of wildfires on soil properties in natural areas of Italy (Chapters 2 and 3); (ii) to analyse the resilience of UK soils affected by wildfires from physical, chemical, and biological perspectives (Chapter 4) and (iii) to investigate the social significance of wildfires and their impacts on human activities in UK rural areas (Chapter 5).

To achieve these objectives, a multi-faceted approach combining biogeochemical, ecological and human geographical methodologies is employed. Four papers (2 published, 1 presented as draft at the moment of thesis submission, which reached publication during the thesis revision phase, and 1 as drafts) constitute this thesis, each addressing specific aspects of the research objectives.

Paper 1 focuses on assessing the medium-term impacts (<5 years) of wildfire severity on soil properties within a European Natura 2000 site in Southern Italy, revealing significant alterations in soil processes and carbon pools post-fire. Paper 2 extends this investigation to the long-term effects (>5 years) of wildfires within the same site, but in two different woodlands, emphasizing the need for proactive management to mitigate carbon losses. Shifting the focus to the UK, Paper 3 examines the medium-term impacts (<5 years) of a wildfire on peatland soil properties, highlighting the critical role of peatland conservation in climate change mitigation efforts. Finally, Paper 4 delves into people's perceptions of wildfire impacts on ecosystem services in the rural landscape of The Roaches Nature Reserve, highlighting the importance of integrating community education with landscape planning and risk mitigation strategies.

By synthesizing findings from these diverse studies, this thesis contributes valuable insights into understanding the complex interplay between wildfires and soil dynamics in Mediterranean and UK landscapes, as well as, generating new knowledge about societal responses and perceptions of wildfires. Moreover, it provides essential groundwork for developing effective wildfire management strategies and enhancing resilience in fire-prone ecosystems, thereby informing sustainable land management practices and policy decisions. Finally, it constitutes a platform to address new questions which need to be answered in future research.