title: Temporal evolution of organic carbon and nitrogen forms in volcanic soils under broom scrub affected by a wildfire.
abstract: The evolution of total N, total oxidizable C, water-soluble NH(4)(+)-N, exchangeable NH(4)(+)-N and soluble NO(3)(-)-N was studied in Canarian volcanic soils under mountainous legume scrub affected by a wildfire by June 2003. Three systematic soil samplings in the burned area and in neighbouring non-burned sampling points were carried out 3, 7 and 12 months after the fire event. The results showed an important mobilization of N (as total N and soluble and exchangeable NH(4)(+)-N) in the soil within the burned area at short term, with a simultaneous depletion of nitrates. Later on, the water-soluble NH(4)(+)-N levels remained nearly constant along the study period in the burned area, whereas the exchangeable NH(4)(+) decreased progressively. Nitrates were found to increase inside and outside the burned area, but the increase rate was much higher for the burned samples. Total N fluctuated along the year, although its levels were generally higher in the burned area. However, such a response pattern of N to fire in this environment was insufficient to prompt the recovery of the plant cover.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Geology, University of La Laguna, Spain. jnotario@ull.es
authors.forename: Jesús Santiago
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Notario Del Pino
authors.forename: Ifara Dorta
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Almenar
authors.forename: Francisco Navarro
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Rivero
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Carmen Arbelo
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Cecilia Armas
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Guerra García
authors.forename: Juan Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mora Hernández
mesh_terms: D001266:Atlantic Islands; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000254:growth & development*; D005390:Fires; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012987:Soil; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen