Research progress on effects of fire disturbance on stand structure and vegetation regeneration

Forest fire is an important disturbance factor in forest ecosystems. Severe forest fires can disrupt stand structure and impact the stability of ecosystem. Nevertheless, moderate fire disturbances can facilitate vegetation renewal, modify succession dynamics of the community, and enhance species diversity. This article reviews the research advancements in the influence of fire disturbances on stand structure and vegetation renewal, particularly the effects of fire disturbances on tree survival, stand structure, and vegetation renewal. Research indicates that tree mortality induced by forest fires is a key element influencing stand structure and tree species composition. The alterations in vegetation communities following fire disturbances mainly hinge on the fire intensity. Light fire disturbances have limited influence on tree canopy layer, while intense fire disturbances might potentially lead to reverse succession of ecosystem. At present, both domestic and international studies primarily concentrate on the effects of factors such as different forest types, fire intensities, fire severities, seasons, and various types of burned areas on stand structure and vegetation renewal after fire disturbances. There is a deficiency of long-term continuous research on the growth and vegetation renewal mechanisms of trees under fire disturbances. In the future, relevant research should focus on the following aspects: based on the continuous monitoring of permanent sample plots, studying the long-term dynamic changes of stand structure and vegetation renewal and succession under different fire disturbance conditions. We specify and augment a more comprehensive sampling dataset, integrate biophysical and physiological process modeling, and construct a more comprehensive prediction system to precisely predict the post-fire growth of trees in forests composed of different tree species, thoroughly explore the relationship between forest fires and other disturbance factors, and analyze the interactive relationship between forest fires and forest stand structure. The research results will facilitate a better understanding and exploration of the mechanisms of fire disturbance on stand structure and vegetation renewal, thereby advancing the field.