Ecogeomorphology and drones as dynamic tools for post-fire management. The experience in the Pariatge County, Mallorca

Abstract

Ecogeomorphology and drones as dynamic tools for post-fire management. The experience in the Pariatge County, Mallorca Wildfires are one of the most significant driving factors in desertification processes. Furthermore, insular territories such Mallorca are more affected by human impacts due to their intrinsic socioecological fragility. The increase of burned surface area since 2011

in Balearic Islands involves a challenge in which forest management and research through interdisciplinary and technological advances should be joined. Ecogeomorphology is an emergent discipline which allows investigating the role of geomorphic processes in the vegetation recovery. Additionally, the introduction of unmanned aerial vehicles as remotesensing tools offers new and exciting opportunities for monitoring environmental processes. This paper pretends to elucidate the potential of ecogeomorphology and drones to implement more effective and dynamic post-fire management integrating both the resilience capacity of ecosystems with sediment connectivity for landscape restoration.

Keywords: post-fire management, sediment connectivity, vegetal ecophysiology, UAVs, Mediterranean ecosystems.