title: Effect of prescribed fire on soil properties and N transformation in two vegetation types in South China.
abstract: Prescribed fire is a common site preparation practice in forest management in southern China. However, the effect of fire on soil properties and N transformations is still poorly understood in this region. In this study, soil properties and N transformations in burned and unburned site of two vegetation types (Eucalyptus plantation and shrubland) were compared in rainy and dry seasons after 2 years' prescribed fire. Soil pH and soil NH4-N were all higher in the burned site compared to the unburned control. Furthermore, burned sites had 30-40 % lower of soil total phosphorus than conspecific unburned sites. There was no difference in soil organic matter, total N, soil exchangeable cations, available P or NO3-N. Nitrogen mineralization rate of 0-5 cm soil in the unburned site ranged from 8.24 to 11.6 mg N kg(-1) soil month(-1) in the rainy season, compared to a lower level of 4.82-5.25 mg N kg(-1) soil month(-1) in the burned sites. In contrast, 0-5 cm layer nitrification rate was overall 2.47 mg N kg(-1) soil month(-1) in the rainy season, and was not significantly affected by burning. The reduced understory vegetation coverage after burning may be responsible for the higher soil NH4-N in the burned site. This study highlights that a better understanding the effect of prescribed burning on soil nutrients cycling would provide a critical foundation for management decision and be beneficial to afforestation in southern China.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510160, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Faming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D064751:Ammonium Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D005052:Eucalyptus; D005390:Fires; D016468:Forestry / Q000379:methods*; D027822:Myrtaceae; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D064028:Tracheophyta; D034402:Trema
chemical_list: D064751:Ammonium Compounds; D012987:Soil; D009584:Nitrogen