Severely burned wood from wildfires has low functional potential in streams

More frequent and more severe forest fires mean severely burned wood in streams. Instream provides habitat complexity, alters geomorphology, retains organic inorganic material, promotes hyporheic flow acts as substrate for biofilm invertebrates. However, little is known about instream functions fire-prone biomes how they combine with burning levels to guide postfire management efforts. Over 3 years, we tracked following central Portugal. We examined the first time influence of level, season a large suite driving factors on likelihood four different having primary ecological consequences—retention matter, serving aquatic biota, being key pieces forming jams deflecting including pool formation. One main rivers provide vegetation, periphyton, oviposition. Our results show that this can be negatively affected when burned. Except jam formation, probability each stream function changed markedly non-function was nearly twice high Euro-Mediterranean dry than wet season. anchored decayed increased all functions, whereas effect submergence depended function. Challenging ‘size paradigm’ larger sized function, our data suggest size function-specific. Synthesis applications. restoration success maximized by selecting most appropriate taking advantage attribute-function relationships. urge managers refrain from removing or selectively remove carbonized only, allowing persistence great potential biota. The non-attraction compensated other attributes enhancing such deeper within bankfull area, diameters. These will help inform successful management, increasingly asked ecology.