scholarly journals How clear-cutting affects fire severity and soil properties in a Mediterranean ecosystem

2018 ◽  
Vol 206 ◽  
pp. 625-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos Francos ◽  
Paulo Pereira ◽  
Jorge Mataix-Solera ◽  
Victoria Arcenegui ◽  
Meritxell Alcañiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Clear Cutting

Pre-fire forest management effectivity to decrease wildfire impact on soil properties in a Mediterranean forest.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos Francos ◽  
Xavier Úbeda ◽  
Paulo Pereira ◽  
Victoria Arcenegui ◽  
Jorge Mataix-Solera
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystems ◽  
Control Area ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
And Control

<p>Forest mechanical fuel treatments in Mediterranean ecosystems are frequently employed to reduce both the risk and severity of wildfires. These pre-fire treatments may influence the effects of wildfire events on soil properties. The aim of this study is to examine the effectivity of this treatment (clear-cutting operation whereby part of the vegetation was cut and left covering soil surface) carried out before a wildfire that broke out in 2015 and evaluate if the management had influence on post-wildfire soil properties of three sites: two exposed to management practices in 2005 (site M05B) and in 2015 (site M15B)–and one that did not undergo any management (NMB) and to compare their properties with those recorded in a Control area unaffected by 2015 wildfire. The fourth areas were sampled and compared 2, 10 and 18 months after wildfire. The study area is located in Ódena (Catalonia, Spain). The wildfire occurred at July 27<sup>th</sup> of 2015 and burned 1237 ha. In each area and in each sampling moment we collected 9 topsoil samples (0-5 cm depth). We analyzed aggregate stability (AS), soil organic matter (SOM) content, total nitrogen (TN), carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N), inorganic carbon (IC), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), extractable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and potassium (K), microbial biomass carbon (C<sub>mic</sub>) and basal soil respiration (BSR). Two-way ANOVA was carried out to check the differences according to sampling moment and to management. The results show that 2 months after the wildfire M05B showed greater amount of IC and pH; M15B showed greater Na than the other areas; NMB resulted higher in AS, TN, SOM, EC, Ca, Mg, K and BSR; and Control registered the highest C<sub>mic</sub>. C/N resulted similar in the 4 areas in the three sampling moments. Ten months after wildfire, M05B showed greater AS and IC; NMB resulted higher in TN, SOM, EC, Mg and K; and Control showed higher pH, Ca, Na, C<sub>mic</sub> and BSR. In the last sampling, 18 months after wildfire, M05B showed greater pH; M15B showed higher AS; NMB resulted higher in TN, SOM, EC, Ca and K; and Control showed higher IC, Mg, Na, C<sub>mic</sub> and BSR. According to the treatments M05B registered higher TN, SOM, IC, EC, Mg, Na and K during 1<sup>st</sup> sampling; AS and C/N during 2<sup>nd</sup> sampling; and pH, Ca, C<sub>mic</sub> and BSR during 3<sup>rd</sup> sampling. M15B registered higher IC, Mg, Na and K during 1<sup>st</sup> sampling; BSR and C/N during 2<sup>nd</sup> sampling; and AS, TN, SOM, pH, EC, Ca and C<sub>mic</sub> during 3<sup>rd</sup> sampling. NMB registered higher IC, Mg, Na, K, C<sub>mic</sub> and BSR during 1<sup>st</sup> sampling; AS and C/N during 2<sup>nd</sup> sampling; and TN, SOM, pH, EC and Ca during 3<sup>rd</sup> sampling. Control did not vary significantly over time due to the absence of perturbation. Overall, a comparison of the pre-fire treatments showed that NMB was the practice that had the least negative effects on the soil properties studied, followed by M15B, and that fire severity was highest at M05B due to the accumulation of dead plant fuel.</p>

scholarly journals PASSAGE OF WHEAT FIRE IMPACT ON SOIL PROPERTIES AND ENVIRONMENT IN KURDISTAN REGION

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 461-470
Author(s):  
Tariq & et al.
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Germination Percentage ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Surface Burn ◽  
Effect Of Surface

The study was conducted to examine the effect of surface burn severity (Moderate, Severe and Unburned) of wheat straw on soil properties. The results showed statistical differences in some soil physical, chemical and biological properties. Bulk density and field capacity increased statistically by the severity of fire; however, porosity and infiltration rate were statistically lower in sever burned plot when compared to unburned plot. The chemical properties, soil organic matter (SOM), P, Ca, S, Cl, K, Mo, Fe and As were not affected by the fire. The pH value was increased slightly by increasing the fire severity, while, EC was decreased when compared with the unburned plot. It was found a statistical reduction in the number of bacterial and fungal cells per gram soil in the burned plots. A moderate and severe fire reduced seed germination percentage significantly. This finding suggests that fire severity may destruct the biological, physical and some of the chemical properties of the soil, and this may impact negatively on plant growth in the next growing season.

The interactive effects of surface-burn severity and canopy cover on conifer and broadleaf tree seedling ecophysiology

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 1032-1041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheel Bansal ◽  
Till Jochum ◽  
David A. Wardle ◽  
Marie-Charlotte Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Canopy Structure ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Burn Severity ◽  
Tree Seedling ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Surface Burn

Fire has an important role for regeneration of many boreal forest tree species, and this includes both wildfire and prescribed burning following clear-cutting. Depending on the severity, fire can have a variety of effects on above- and below-ground properties that impact tree seedling establishment. Very little is known about the impacts of ground fire severity on post-fire seedling performance, or how the effects of fire severity interact with those of canopy structure. We conducted a full-factorial experiment that manipulated surface-burn severity (no burn; light, medium, or heavy burn; or scarification) and canopy (closed forest or open clear-cut) to reveal their interactive effects on ecophysiological traits of establishing broadleaf and conifer seedlings in a Swedish boreal forest. Medium and heavy surface burns increased seedling growth, photosynthesis, respiration, and foliar N and P concentrations, and these effects were most apparent in open clear-cuts. Growth rates of all species responded similarly to surface-burn treatments, although photosynthesis, foliar P, and specific leaf area were more responsive to burning treatments for broadleaf species than for conifers. Our study demonstrates that the positive impacts of fire on tree seedling physiology are dependent on a minimum severity threshold and are more effective when combined with clear-cutting.

Modeling stability and resilience after slashburning across a sub-boreal to subalpine forest gradient in British Columbia

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 304-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn H. Hamilton ◽  
Sybille Haeussler
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Vegetation Communities ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
High Resource ◽  
Stability And Resilience

Stability and resilience of conifer-dominated vegetation communities following clear-cutting and slashburning in central British Columbia, were modeled across gradients of resource availability, fire return interval (FRI), and fire severity. We hypothesized that high resource availability and long fire-free intervals would enhance stability, whereas high resource availability and short fire-free intervals would confer resilience. Fire weather indices and pre- and post-burn fuel loads were recorded and vegetation regrowth monitored for 5–11 years at 12 sites. Stepwise regression was used to model rates of revegetation, increases in vascular species richness, and pre- and post-burn similarity of species composition as a function of the environmental variables. Predicted stability for four sub-boreal to subalpine vegetation communities with contrasting resource availability and FRI corresponded closely to our hypotheses. Rates of revegetation were more strongly correlated with resource availability, whereas composition-based response variables were more strongly correlated with the FRI. Based on revegetation rates, all ecosystems were predicted to have equal resilience. However, based on vegetation composition, mesic sub-boreal ecosystems were predicted to be more resilient than mesic subalpine ecosystems because the degree of change in species composition was less sensitive to increasing burn severity. More slashburned sites with a broader range of burn severities are needed to verify these preliminary models.

scholarly journals Soil Quality and Evaluation of Spatial Variability in a Semi-Arid Ecosystem in a Region of the Southeastern Iberian Peninsula (Spain)

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Fernando Santos-Francés ◽  
Antonio Martínez-Graña ◽  
Carmelo Ávila-Zarza ◽  
Marco Criado ◽  
Yolanda Sánchez-Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Arid Ecosystem ◽  
Scoring Functions ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Preliminary Estimation ◽  
Semi Arid

In the last two decades, as the importance of soil has been recognized as a key component of any ecosystem, there has been an increased global demand to establish criteria for determining soil quality and to develop quantitative indices that can be used to classify and compare that quality in different places. The preliminary estimation of the attributes involved in soil quality was made taking into account the opinion of the experts and our own experience in a semi-arid ecosystem. In this study, 16 soil properties have been selected as potential indicators of soil quality, in a region between Campo de Montiel and Sierra de Alcaraz (Spain): sand and clay percentage, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (OC), extractables bases of change (Na, K, Ca and Mg), cationic exchange capacity (CEC), carbonate calcium equivalent (CCE), bulk density (BD), water retention at 33 kPa field capacity and 1500 kPa permanent wither point (GWC33 kPa and GWC1500 kPa), coefficient of linear extensibility (COLE) and factor of soil erodibility (K). The main objective has been to develop an adequate index to characterize the quality of the soils in a semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystem. The preliminary estimation of the attributes involved in soil quality was made considering the opinion of the experts and our own experience in semi-arid ecosystems. Two indicator selection approaches have been used to develop the Soil Quality Index (SQI) (total data set -TDS- and minimum data set -MDS-), scoring functions (linear -L- and nonlinear -NL-) and methods (additive -A-, additive weighted -W- and Nemoro -N-. The quality indices have been calculated, considering the properties of the soil control section (between 0 and 100 cm depth), using 185 samples, belonging to horizons A, B and C of 51 soil profiles. The results have shown that the election of the soil properties, both of the topsoil and subsoil, is an important help in establishing a good relationship between quality, soil functions and agricultural management. The Kriging method has been used to determinate the spatial distribution of the soil quality grades. The indices that best reflect the state of soil quality are the TDS-L-W and TDS-L-A should go as sub-indices, as they are the most accurate indices and provide the most consistent results. These indices are especially indicated when carrying out detailed or semi-detailed studies. However, the MDS-L-W and MDS-L-A should go as sub-indices, which use only a limited number of indicators, are best for large-scale studies. The indicators with the greatest influence on soil quality for different land uses and those developed on different rocks, using linear scoring functions, are the following: (Clay), (GWC1500 kPa) and (Ca). These results can also be expressed as follows: the best soils in this region are deep soils, with a clay texture, with high water retention and a neutral or slightly basic pH. However, the indicators with the greatest influence on soil quality, using nonlinear scoring functions, are: (OC Stock), (Ca) and (CaCO3). In other words, the most important indicator is the organic carbon content, which is not logical in the case of a region in which the soils have an excessively low SOC content (0.86%).

scholarly journals The Effect of Repeated Prescribed Burning on Soil Properties: A Review

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 767
Author(s):  
Teresa Fontúrbel ◽  
Noela Carrera ◽  
José Antonio Vega ◽  
Cristina Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Research Issues ◽  
Forest Fuels

Prescribed burning is a tool that is frequently used for various land management objectives, mainly related to reduction of hazardous forest fuels, habitat management and ecological restoration. Given the crucial role of soil in forest ecosystem processes and functions, assessing the effects of prescribed burning on soil is particularly relevant. This study reviews research on the impacts of repeated prescribed burning on the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil. The available information shows that the effects are highly variable, rather inconsistent and generally minor for most of the soil characteristics studied, while a number of soil properties show contrasting responses. On the other hand, ecosystem characteristics, differences in fire severity, frequency of application and the cumulative effect of treatment repetition over time, have possibly made it more difficult to find a more common response in soil attributes. Our study has also revealed some limitations of previous research that may have contributed to this result, including a limited number of long-term studies, conducted at a few experimental sites, and in a limited number of forest ecosystems. Research issues concerning the effects of prescribed fire on soil are presented. The need to integrate such research into a broader interdisciplinary framework, encompassing the role of the fire regime on ecosystem functions and processes, is also highlighted.

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