Post-Fire Carbon Dynamics in a UK Woodland: A Case Study from the Roaches Nature Reserve

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Forests play a crucial role in climate regulation through atmospheric CO2 sequestration. However, disturbances like wildfires can severely compromise this function. This study assesses the ecological and economic consequences of a 2018 wildfire in The Roaches Nature Reserve, UK, focusing on post-fire carbon dynamics. A mixed woodland dominated by Pinus sylvestris L. and Larix decidua Mill. was evaluated via satellite imagery (remote sensing indices), dendrochronological analysis (wood cores sampling), and soil properties analyses. Remote sensing revealed areas of high fire severity and progressive vegetation decline. Tree-ring data indicated near-total mortality of L. decidua, while P. sylvestris showed greater post-fire resilience. Soil properties (e.g., soil organic carbon, biomass and microbial indices, etc.) assessed at a depth of 0–5 cm showed no significant changes. The analysis of CO2 sequestration trends revealed a marked decline in burned areas, with post-fire sequestration reduced by approximately 70% in P. sylvestris and nearly 100% in L. decidua, in contrast to the stable patterns observed in the control stands during the same period. To estimate this important ecosystem service, we developed a novel CO2 Sequestration Loss (CSL) index, which quantified the reduction in forest carbon uptake and underscored the impaired sequestration capacity of burned area. The decrease in CO2 sequestration also resulted in a loss of regulating ecosystem service value, with burned areas showing a marked reduction compared to pre-fire conditions. Finally, a carbon loss of ~208 Mg ha−1 was estimated in the burnt area compared to the control, mainly due to tree mortality rather than shallow soil carbon stock. Overall, our findings demonstrate that wildfire can substantially compromise the climate mitigation potential of temperate forests, highlighting the urgency of proactive management and restoration strategies.

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