Temporal evolution of organic carbon and nitrogen forms in volcanic soils under broom scrub affected by a wildfire.
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.
Notario Del Pino
Jesús Santiago
JS
Department of Soil Science and Geology, University of La Laguna, Spain. jnotario@ull.es
Almenar
Ifara Dorta
ID
Rivero
Francisco Navarro
FN
Rodríguez-Rodríguez
Antonio
A
Rodríguez
Carmen Arbelo
CA
Herrera
Cecilia Armas
CA
Guerra García
José A
JA
Mora Hernández
Juan Luis
JL
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*
D009566:Nitrates; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012987:Soil; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen