The response of aboveground traits to prescribed burning: A global meta-analysis

Prescribed burning is recognized as an effective strategy for wildfire management, as it not only offers a means to diminish fuel load but also confers ecological benefits. Although the effects of prescribed burning on soil properties have been thoroughly investigated, the responses of aboveground traits to prescribed burning are still not well understood, particularly across a broad range of regions. Here, we assessed the impact of prescribed burning on aboveground traits through a meta-analysis of 53 studies (aboveground net primary production (ANPP), biomass, fuel load, plant carbon storage, plant nitrogen storage, stem density, species richness, and vegetation cover) and assessed the mechanisms underlying these effects. Our results showed that prescribed burning significantly reduced traits associated with biomass and nutrient pools, including ANPP (-9.0%), biomass (-15.9%), fuel load (-54.9%), plant carbon storage (-21.8%), and plant nitrogen storage (-9.8%). In terms of vegetation structure and diversity, while stem density decreased (-9.3%), prescribed burning did not significantly alter vegetation cover and species richness. Forests were found to be more vulnerable to the impacts of prescribed burning compared to shrublands and grasslands. Ecosystem type, environmental conditions, and the duration after prescribed burning influenced the effects of prescribed burning on aboveground traits, suggesting that each place must assess the ecological impacts of prescribed burning prior to its implementation. • Prescribed burning decreased biomass without significantly altering vegetation cover or diversity. • Forest aboveground traits were more sensitive to prescribed burning than those in shrublands and grasslands • Ecosystem type, environmental conditions, and time since burning modulated aboveground trait responses