Remote Sensing-Based Monitoring of Postfire Recovery of Persistent Shrubs: The Case of Juniperus communis in Sierra Nevada (Spain)

Wildfires affect the structure, functioning, and composition of ecosystems. Long-term monitoring occurrence, abundance, growth plant species is key to assessing responses dynamics populations with regard environmental disturbances, such as wildfires. In this work, we evaluated changes in number individuals canopy cover extent a population Juniperus communis L. during four-decade period following wildfire Mediterranean high-mountain ecosystem (Sierra Nevada, Spain). To do this, used object-based image analysis (OBIA) applied very high-resolution aerial images. Our study also provides new approach optimize shrub identification process semi-automatically evaluate accuracy shrubs their cover. From 752 present 1977, only 433 remained immediately after fire (1984), few more disappeared one decade later (420 1997), while by 2008, had partially recovered 578 shrubs. The decreased juniper from 55,000 m2 40,000 m2, but two decades it already 57,000 m2. largest were resistant than smallest ones shorter time period. protection measures introduced park declaration seemed have contributed post-fire recovery. potential methodology management conservation biodiversity future discussed.