Examining the Potential of Forest Residue-Based Amendments for Post-Wildfire Rehabilitation in Colorado, USA.
Wildfire is a natural disturbance, though elemental losses and changes that occur during combustion and post-fire erosion can have long-term impacts on soil properties, ecosystem productivity, and watershed condition. Here we evaluate the potential of forest residue-based materials to rehabilitate burned soils. We compare soil nutrient and water availability, and plant recovery after application of 37 t ha-1of wood mulch, 20 t ha-1of biochar, and the combination of the two amendments with untreated, burned soils. We also conducted a greenhouse trial to examine how biochar influenced soil nutrient and water content under two wetting regimes. The effects of wood mulch on plant-available soil N and water content were significant and seasonally consistent during the three-year field study. Biochar applied alone had few effects under field conditions, but significantly increased soil pH, Ca, P, and water in the greenhouse. The mulched biochar treatment had the greatest effects on soil N and water availability and increased cover of the most abundant native plant. We found that rehabilitation treatments consisting of forest residue-based products have potential to enhance soil N and water dynamics and plant recovery following severe wildfire and may be justified where erosion risk or water supply protection are crucial.
US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA.
Charles C
0000-0002-3336-2257
CC
Rhoades
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Kerri L
KL
Minatre
US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA; Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
Derek N
DN
Pierson
US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA.
Timothy S
TS
Fegel
Department of Ecosystem Sciences and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
M Francesca
MF
Cotrufo
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Eugene F
EF
Kelly