Soil organic matter and aggregates affected by wildfire in a Pinus halepensis forest in a Mediterranean environment

et Abstract. Three Mediterranean soils located in the north of the Province of Alicante (Spain) were studied for a year after a forest fire. The percentage of water-stable aggregates (between 0.2 and 4 mm) and organic matter content were measured. Microaggregates (< 0.2 mm) were observed using electron microscopy. The results showed the importance of type of forest fire on soil organic matter and aggregates. Soil structure was more affected by surface fire (which affects mainly brushwood and soil surface) than crown fire (which burns the tops of trees and some brushwood). Accumulation of organic matter from burnt trees and brushwood in areas affected by crown fire and alterations in organic matter content through the soil profile were observed. Surface forest fire affected soil structure more negatively than crown fire as observed using electron microscopy. Soils affected by surface fire may be more easily eroded and recovery of vegetation may be delayed because of effects on soil structure. Organic matter content through the soil profile comparing burnt and adjacent unburnt soil could be used to determine the type of fire. Additional keywords: Forest fire; calcareous soil; Spain; Mediterranean type-areas.

[1]  R. Graham,et al.  Aggregate Stability under Oak and Pine after Four Decades of Soil Development , 1995 .

[2]  Artemi Cerdà,et al.  Fire and aspect induced differences on the erodibility and hydrology of soils at La Costera, Valencia, southeast Spain , 1995 .

[3]  J. Skjemstad,et al.  The effects of cultivation on the composition of organic matter and structural stability of soils , 1995 .

[4]  A. Roldán,et al.  AN INCUBATION EXPERIMENT TO DETERMINE FACTORS INVOLVING AGGREGATION CHANGES IN AN ARID SOIL RECEIVING URBAN REFUSE , 1994 .

[5]  S. Bautista,et al.  Influencia de las lluvias otoñales sobre la respuesta hidrológica y erosiva post incendio de los suelos en un ambiente semiárido , 1994 .

[6]  F. García‐Orenes,et al.  Carbohydrates of municipal solid wastes as aggregation factor of soils , 1993 .

[7]  A. C. Bolinches.  Incendios forestales y estabilidad de agregados , 1993 .

[8]  R. Graham,et al.  Forest Fire Effects on Soil Color and Texture , 1993 .

[9]  A. C. Imeson,et al.  The effects of fire and water repellency on infiltration and runoff under Mediterranean type forest , 1992 .

[10]  W. Rawls,et al.  Macropore and Surface Seal Interactions Affecting Water Infiltration into Soil , 1992 .

[11]  A. G. Brown.  Soil erosion and fire in areas of Mediterranean type vegetation: results from chaparral in Southern California, USA and matorral in Andalucia, Southern Spain. , 1990 .

[12]  R. Greene,et al.  The effects of fire on the soil in a degraded semiarid woodland .I. Cryptogam cover and physical and micromorphological properties , 1990 .

[13]  G. Giovannini,et al.  EFFECT OF HEATING ON SOME PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PARAMETERS RELATED TO SOIL AGGREGATION AND ERODIBILITY , 1988 .

[14]  F. Forgeard,et al.  Suivi de quelques caractéristiques physico-chimiques d'un sol de lande à Ulex europaeus après un incendie de printemps , 1987 .

[15]  J. L. Rubio.  Desertificación en la comunidad valenciana: antecedentes históricos y situación actual de erosión , 1987 .

[16]  J. L. Rubio,et al.  Efectos de los incendios forestales en las propiedades del suelo, en la composicion floristica y en la erosion hidrica de zonas forestales de Valencia (Espana) , 1985 .

[17]  M. Lobo,et al.  Contribucion al estudio de la influencia de los incendios forestales en las caracteristicas de la materia organica del suelo. I: Transformaciones del humus por ignicion en condiciones controladas de laboratorio , 1984 .

[18]  G. Giovannini,et al.  EFFECT OF FIRE ON HYDROPHOBIC AND CEMENTING SUBSTANCES OF SOIL AGGREGATES1 , 1983 .

[19]  J. Tisdall,et al.  Organic matter and water‐stable aggregates in soils , 1982 .

[20]  L. Debano.  The Effect of Hydrophobic Substances on Water Movement in Soil during Infiltration 1 , 1971 .