Factors affecting vegetation and soil recovery in the Mediterranean woodland of the Canary Islands (Spain)

► We studied the natural regeneration of threatened woodland in the Canary Islands. ► Succession coincided with variation in soil properties related to water availability. ► Soil processes and plant recolonization vary depending on the soil parent material. ► Not-reversed soil degradation may hinder the restoration of the ecosystem. ► Lower resilience was observed in relation to other semiarid Mediterranean ecosystems.