Hydrological properties of a Mediterranean soil burned with different fire intensities

The influence of vegetation cover on soil hydrological properties and its response to the impact of different fire intensities, in a Mediterranean forest environment, has been evaluated. The study was carried out in the Permanent Experimental Field Station of La Concordia (Llíria–Valencia, Spain), on a set of nine erosion plots (4 × 20 m²). The Station is located on a calcareous hillside S–SE oriented, with soils of Rendzic Leptosol type and supporting Mediterranean shrubland vegetation. All runoff generated and sediment produced in every rain event was collected from each plot. The set up includes a system of sensors for the continuous monitoring of climatic parameters (air temperature and humidity, rain volume, intensity, etc.).In June 1995, a set of experimental fires was carried out to the Station. Three of the plots were burned with high intensity fire, three with moderate intensity and the remaining were left unaltered. Soil water content and water retention capacity (WRC) were measured in the different plots and in two different vegetation covers: under canopy (UC) and in bare soil (BS). The pF curves were also obtained for each fire treatment.A year after the fires (June 1995–June 1996), great differences, reaching 77.15%, in runoff generation between fire treatments and the control plots were observed.No significant differences were detected on water retention capacity between soils UC and BS in the burned plots. However, these differences appeared in the control plots, giving UC and BS values of 13% and 18%, respectively. Plots corresponding to the high intensity fire treatment showed values of WRC significantly higher than those of the moderate intensity and of the control treatments.The pF curves show that the values of water volume, at the different pressure points studied, were slightly greater on UC soil. Values obtained for BS samples are higher in the fire treatments, showing significant differences in respect to the control plots at pF 1 and 2. These differences were also observed for UC soil, but in this case at pF 2, 2.5 and 4.2.     

Aggregation of under canopy and bare soils in a Mediterranean environment affected by different fire intensities

Soil macroaggregation in relation to soil organic matter (SOM) and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) content was studied, before and after experimental fires of different intensities, in two environments (under canopy and on bare soil). In 1995, two experimental fire treatments, based on the addition of different biomass amounts, were applied on a set of nine plots at the Permanent Field Station of La Concordia (Valencia, Spain). Three plots were burned with high intensity fire (T1), three with moderate intensity (T2) and three plots were left unburned to be used as control treatment (T3).     

Bacterial and fungal growth in soil heated at different temperatures to simulate a range of fire intensities

The intensity of a fire is an important factor determining the recovery of soil microorganisms after a forest fire, since it can alter the quality and quantity of carbon sources. Recovery of the microbial community was studied in a Mediterranean pine forest soil subjected to different temperatures to simulate the short-term effects of fire intensity on bacterial and fungal growth, estimated using leucine incorporation for bacteria and acetate incorporation into ergosterol for fungi. Soil samples were heated for 15 min at 50, 80, 120, 200, 300, 400 and 500 °C. After inoculation with fresh soil, and adding water to achieve 60% WHC, the soils were incubated at 20 °C for 21 days. Bacterial growth was initially inhibited in the samples heated above 50 °C (totally inhibited ≥ 200 °C), but recovered within days to levels much higher than the control, except for the samples heated at 500 °C, where growth remained low throughout the incubation period due to the destruction of most of the organic matter. After the first week of incubation, the bacterial response decreased to values close to, but still above, that of the control. Samples heated at 200 °C showed the highest cumulative bacterial growth. Fungal growth was initially lower than in the control in all the heated samples (totally inhibited ≥ 200 °C). Fungal growth recovered slowly during incubation in soils heated at ≤ 300 °C, but the cumulative growth in heated soils did not exceed that in the control. No fungal growth was observed in samples heated at the two highest temperatures. Soil respiration was initially totally inhibited in soil heated at ≥ 200 °C, but recovered rapidly in all soils; the highest respiration being observed already 1 day after inoculation. This is the first time both fungal and bacterial growth has been directly estimated in heated soils. High soil pH favouring bacteria can explain these results, but the differences in fungal and bacterial responses suggest a competitive interaction between these groups.     

Spatial and vertical analysis of soil properties in a Mediterranean vineyard soil

Soil physical properties influence vineyard behaviour; therefore, the knowledge of their spatial variability is essential for making vineyard management decisions. Little work has been conducted at high spatial resolution on soil properties at depths lower than 0.30 m which is of special relevance to perennial crops. The objectives of this work were to (i) analyse the spatial and vertical variability of soil depth, particle size fractions and water‐holding capacity (WHC) by geostatistical techniques; (ii) study the causes of the variability, with additional information from classical soil sampling; and (iii) assess the significance of WHC through its relationship with vine vigour. The work was carried out in a vineyard of eight hectares within the D.O.Ca. Rioja (northern Spain). Soil variability was determined via grid sampling at three depth ranges (0–0.30, 0.30–0.60 and 0.60–0.90 m). A conventional soil survey provided additional information on soil variability. Clay, sand and silt fractions, soil organic matter content, WHC and pruning weight were determined. Most soil properties had strong or moderate spatial dependence, with the exceptions of sand at 0.30–0.60 m and silt in the topsoil. Topography and soil erosion caused the spatial variability of soil depth and contributed to the spatial distribution of particle size fractions in the topsoil, while the heterogeneity of parent material influenced the spatial pattern of soil properties at 0.60–0.90 m. The WHC and soil depth spatial distributions related well to that of vine vigour, demonstrating the importance of knowing the spatial variability of these soil properties.     

Soil degradation and soil surface process intensities on abandoned fields in Mediterranean mountain environments

The Pyrenean and Pre‐Pyrenean mountain areas have been intensively used at least since roman times, but nowadays depopulation has lead to widespread land abandonment without a steering land‐management. Vegetation recovery is weak in most abandoned fields. Soil formation and characteristics are conditioned by this fact, and for this, soils show past degradation processes and are mostly predominant factors for continuing land degradation or restoration. Three study areas were set up along a climatic gradient with increasing summer water deficit in the sub‐humid zone between the Central Pyrenees and Pre‐Pyrenees. Soil survey combined with experiments for the determination of infiltration, runoff and erosion were applied for understanding the degradation history and the future development of the soils. All areas are dominated by Entisols, but also Inceptisols and Alfisols are found, and even soils with hydromorphic features. The soils show signs of heavy erosion. The parental material determines the nutrient supply and the general chemical properties. All sites show a weak water storing capacity, as a result of the removal of fine material by erosion and due to the depletion of soil organic matter. In addition, infiltration capacity and runoff generation are high within the studied areas, averaging between 27 and 37 per cent. The driest area studied shows an ongoing trend to degradation, with high erosion rates combined with a high degradations status of the soil. The other areas are characterised by a patchy pattern of soil degradation and regradation processes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Plant regeneration functional groups modulate the response to fire of soil enzyme activities in a Mediterranean shrubland

Soil enzymes are critical to soil nutrient cycling function but knowledge on the factors that control their response to major disturbances such as wildfires remains very limited. We evaluated the effect of fire-related plant functional traits (resprouting and seeding) on the resistance and resilience to fire of two soil enzyme activities involved in phosphorus and carbon cycling (acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase) in a Mediterranean shrublands in SE Spain. Using experimental fires, we compared four types of shrubland microsites: SS (vegetation patches dominated by seeder species), RR (patches dominated by resprouter species), SR (patches co-dominated by seeder and resprouter species), and IP (shrub interpatches). We assessed pre- and post-fire activities of the target soil enzymes, available P, soil organic C, and plant cover dynamics over three years after the fire. Post-fire regeneration functional groups (resprouter, seeder) modulated both pre- and post-fire activity of acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase, with higher activity in RR and SR patches than in SS patches and IP. However, we found no major differences in enzyme resistance and resilience between microsite types, except for a trend towards less resilience in SS patches. Fire similarly reduced the activity of both enzymes. However, acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase showed contrasting post-fire dynamics. While β-glucosidase proved to be rather resilient to fire, fully recovering three years after fire, acid phosphatase showed no signs of recovery in that period. Overall, the results indicate a positive influence of resprouter species on soil enzyme activity that is very resistant to fire. Long-lasting decrease in acid phosphatase activity probably resulted from the combined effect of P availability and post-fire drought. Our results provide insights on how plant functional traits modulate soil biochemical and microbiological response to fire in Mediterranean fire-prone shrublands.     

Effects of different cropping systems on soil water properties of a Boralf soil

Abstract

A long‐term field experiment utilizing five different cropping systems was established on a Boralf soil in 1968 in the Peace River region of Alberta, Canada. The cropping systems consisted of: continuous barley (CB), barley/forage (Bf) (3 y of barley followed by 3 y of forage), forage/barley (Fb) (3 y of forage followed by 3 y of barley), continuous grass (CG) as bromegrass and continuous legume (CL) as red clover. The saturated conductivity (K_sat) was improved by growing forage crops as the CG and CL cropping systems had a higher K_sat (1.20×10^‐2 and 1.57×10^‐2 cm h^‐1) than the Fb, Bf, and CB cropping systems (4.41×10^‐3, 5.01×10^‐3 and 4.50×10^‐4 cm hr^‐1, respectively) for the 15–30 cm depth. At the 30–45 cm depth the CL cropping system K_sat was a hundred fold greater, at 10^‐2 compared to 10^‐4 cm hr^‐1. The infiltration and the depth of accumulated water over time also reflected forage production cropping practices as the CG and CL cropping systems had the highest infiltration rates at 30 min of 9.7 and 9.4 mm hr^‐1 while the Fb, Bf, and CB cropping systems had infiltration rates of 4.8, 7.1 and 8.3 mm hr^‐1. The ratio of the infiltration rate at the beginning versus the end of the infiltration period (30 to 480 min) of 4.0, 5.6, 6.4, 6.4, and 7.0 although not significant indicated decreasing structural stability in the order of: CG > CL > Bf > Fb > CB cropping systems, respectively. It was observed that differences in soil water properties due to cropping history were reflected.     

不同类型的污泥对土壤微生物性质的影响: 地中海退化土的田间试验研究

The recycling of suitable organic wastes can enhance soil fertility via effects on soil physical, chemical and biological properties. To compare the effects of digested (DS), thermally dried (TDS) and composted dewatered (CDS) sewage sludge on soil microbiological properties, an experiment was conducted at field sites for more than one year (401 d) when applied to two Mediterranean degraded soils (loam and loamy sand soils). All three types of sewage sludge had a significant effect on measured parameters. I...     

Soil microbial recolonisation after a fire in a Mediterranean forest

The capacity of different microbial groups to recolonise soil after a fire event will be decisive in determining the microbial community after the fire. Microbial recovery after a wildfire that occurred in Sierra la Grana (Alicante province, southeast Spain) was tracked for 32 months after the fire. Colony forming units (CFUs) of different microbial groups, microbial biomass, soil respiration, bacterial growth (leucine incorporation) and changes in the microbial community structure (phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis) were determined directly after the fire and four times during the recovery period. Direct effects were reflected by low values of most microbiological variables measured immediately after the fire. Microbial biomass increased during the first year after the fire but was below the unburned reference site 32 months after the fire. Bacterial activity and soil respiration showed the highest values immediately after the fire, but decreased to values similar to that of the unburned reference site or even lower (respiration) 32 months after the fire. Colony forming units of bacterial groups estimated by the plate count method peaked 8 months after the fire, but then decreased, showing values similar to the unburned reference site at the end of the study, with the exception of spore formers, which were 20 times higher than the reference site 32 months after the fire. Fungal CFUs were more sensitive to the fire and recovered more slowly than bacteria. Fungi recovering less rapidly than bacteria were also indicated by the PLFA pattern, with PLFAs indicative of fungi being less common after the fire. The recovery of microbial biomass and activity was mirrored by the initially very high levels of dissolved organic carbon being consumed and decreasing within 8 months after the fire. The wildfire event had thus resulted in a decrease in microbial biomass, with a more bacteria-dominated microbial community.     

Soil compaction and stress propagation after different wheeling intensities on a silt soil in South-East Norway

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of wheeling with two different wheel loads (1.7 and 2.8?Mg) and contrasting wheeling intensities (1x and 10x) on the bearing capacity of a Stagnosol derived from silty alluvial deposits. Soil strength was assessed by laboratory measurements of the precompression stress in topsoil (20?cm) and subsoil (40 and 60?cm) samples. Stress propagation, as well as elastic and plastic deformation during wheeling were measured in the field with combined stress state (SST) and displacement transducers (DTS). We also present results from soil physical analyses (bulk density, air capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity) and barley yields from the first two years after the compaction. Although the wheel loads used were comparatively small, typical for the machinery used in Norway, the results show that both increased wheel load and wheeling intensity had negative effects on soil physical parameters especially in the topsoil but with similar tendencies also in the subsoil. Stress propagation was detected down to 60?cm depth (SST). The first wheeling was most harmful, but all wheelings led to accumulative plastic soil deformation (DTS). Under the workable conditions in this trial, increased wheeling with a small machine was more harmful to soil structure than a single wheeling with a heavier machine. However, the yields in the first two years after the compaction did not show any negative effect of the compaction.     

Living and dead soil organic matter under different land uses on a Mediterranean island

Soil under six different land uses on Pianosa Island, in the Mediterranean Sea, was characterized in terms of microbial activity and organic matter quality, in order to define relationships between living and dead organic matter. Biological measurements and chemical and spectroscopic (¹³C NMR and FTIR) investigation of the extracted soil organic matter provided clues to the effects of soil management on the reciprocal interactions between living and dead organic matter. In particular, the conversion from the original bushy maquis to other land uses, such as degraded thickets of holm oak, maquis‐invaded groves of olive trees, stands of Aleppo pines and abandoned pastures, implied significant reduction of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its microbial fraction (MBC). Cropland, which is the land use with the greatest perturbation of soil, had the smallest SOC, MBC and soil respiration rate. Significant differences in extractable SOC among land uses occurred, both as total amount and as molecular mass distribution. The relatively good relationship between soil respiration and the extracted SOM‐fraction of 2–50 kDa, expressed on a molecular mass basis, suggests that this size is strongly linked to heterotrophic organisms and that it could be representative of a transitory pool of C in soil.     

Soil erosion modelling of burned and mulched soils following a Mediterranean forest wildfire

Soil erosion modelling applied to burned forests in different global regions can be unreliable because of a lack of verification data. Here, we evaluated the following three erosion models: (1) Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP), (2) Morgan-Morgan-Finney (MMF) and (3) Universal Soil Loss Equation-Modified (USLE-M). Using field plots that were either untreated or mulched with straw, this study involved observations of soil loss at the event scale at a burned pine forest in Central Eastern Spain. The erosion predictions of the three models were analysed for goodness-of-fit. Optimization of the MMF model with a new procedure to estimate the C-factor resulted in a satisfactory erosion prediction capacity in burned plots with or without the mulching treatment. The WEPP model underestimated erosion in the unburned areas and largely overestimated the soil loss in burned areas. The accuracy of soil loss estimation by the USLE-M model was also poor. Calibration of the curve numbers and C-factors did not improve the USLE-M model estimation. Therefore, we conclude that an optimized MMF model was the most accurate way to estimate soil loss and recommend this approach for in Mediterranean burned forests with or without postfire mulching. This study gives land managers insight about the choice of the most suitable model for erosion predictions in burned forests.     

Impact of fire on fungal abundance and microbial efficiency in C assimilation and mineralisation in a Mediterranean maquis soil

The present study investigates the impact of fire (low and high severity) on soil fungal abundance and microbial efficiency in C assimilation and mineralisation in a Mediterranean maquis area of Southern Italy over 2 years after fire. In burned and control soils total and active fungal mycelium, microbial biomass C, percentage of microbial biomass C present as fungal C, metabolic quotient (qCO₂) and coefficient of endogenous mineralisation (CEM) were assayed together with several chemical properties of soil (i.e. pH and contents of organic C, total and mineral N, available K, Mg, Mn and water). Fire significantly decreased the fungal mycelium, whereas it stimulated microbial growth probably through the enhancement of bacterial growth because of the increase in organic C and nutrient contents in burned plots. This shift in microbial community composition might explain the observed reduction in soil microbial efficiency of C assimilation (high qCO₂) and the increase in C mineralisation rate (CEM) in the first 84 days after fire. Therefore, fire might increase CO₂ input to the atmosphere not only during combustion phase but also in the post-fire period.     

肃北高寒草原不同放牧强度土壤养分变化特征

研究了肃北高寒草原不同放牧强度下不同土层土壤养分及 5 种微量元素有效态含量变化特征。结果表明：①高寒草原土壤物理性质的变化对土壤养分及微量元素具有重要的调控作用;②随着放牧强度的提高,0 ~ 10、10 ~ 20 cm 土层土壤体积质量均呈不同程度的增加,土壤孔隙度和土壤含水量则呈显著的递减趋势;③轻度放牧草地土壤有机质、土壤全 N 含量高于中度放牧和重度放牧草地;20 ~ 30 cm 土层有机质随放牧强度的增大呈明显下降趋势,即随放牧强度的增大深层土壤肥力呈退化趋势;肃北高寒草原的速效养分以多 N 少 P 富 K 为特点,土壤速效 N、P、K 含量在总体上随放牧强度的增加呈下降趋势;④肃北高寒草原 5 种微量元素的高低顺序依次是：Na＞Fe＞Mn＞Cu＞Zn,不同放牧强度下各微量元素的变化一致,顺序依次是：轻度放牧＞对照＞中度放牧＞重度放牧;⑤放牧强度对 10 ~ 20 cm 的土层影响最大,随放牧强度的增大,地表植物营养吸收层土壤营养成分、微量元素呈降低,导致地表植被生长能力降低,最终导致地表土壤沙化,最后使草地大面积退化。     

Organic matter quality of a forest soil subjected to repeated drying and different re‐wetting intensities

Extended drought periods followed by heavy rainfall may increase in many regions of the Earth, but the consequences for the quality of soil organic matter and soil microbial communities are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effect of repeated drying and re‐wetting on microbial communities and the quality of particulate and dissolved organic matter in a Haplic Podzol from a Norway spruce stand. After air‐drying, undisturbed soil columns were re‐wetted at different intensities (8, 20 and 50 mm per day) and time intervals, so that all treatments received the same amount of water per cycle (100 mm). After the third cycle, SOM pools of the treatments were compared with those of non‐dried control columns. Lignin phenols were not systematically affected in the O horizons by the treatments whereas fewer lignin phenols were found in the A horizon of the 20‐ and 50‐mm treatments. Microbial biomass and the ratio of fungi to bacteria were generally not altered, suggesting that most soil microorganisms were well adapted to drying and re‐wetting in this soil. However, gram‐positive bacteria and actinomycetes were reduced whereas gram‐negative bacteria and protozoa were stimulated by the treatments. The increase in the (cy 17: 0 + cy 19: 0)/(16:1ω7c + 18:1ω7c) ratio indicates physiological or nutritional stress for the bacterial communities in the O, A and B horizons with increasing re‐wetting intensity. Drying and re‐wetting reduced the amount of hydrolysable plant and microbial sugars in all soil horizons. However, CO₂ and dissolved organic carbon fluxes could not explain these losses. We postulate that drying and re‐wetting triggered chemical alterations of hydrolysable sugar molecules in organic and mineral soil horizons.     

土壤性质与不同土壤Hg形态的关系

Correlation and path analysis methods were used to study the relationship between soil properties and the distribution of different soil Hg fractions with nine representative soils from Chongqing, China. Results showed that clay (< 2 m) could increase water-soluble Hg (r = 0.700*). Soil organic matter (OM) could enhance the increase of elemental Hg (r = 0.674*). The higher the base saturation percentage (BSP), the more the residual Hg (r = 0.684*). Organic Hg, the sum of acid-soluble organic Hg and alkali-soluble Hg, was positively affected by silt (2～20 μm) but negatively affected by pH, with the direct path coefficients amounting to 1.0487 and 0.5121, respectively. The positive effect of OM and negative effect of BSP on organic Hg were the most significant, with the direct path coefficients being 0.7614 and -0.8527, respectively. The indirect effect of clay (< 2 μm) via BSP (path coefficient = 0.4186) was the highest, showing that the real influencing factor in the effect of clay (< 2 μm) on acid-soluble organic Hg was BSP. Since the available Hg fraction, water-soluble Hg, was positively affected by soil clay content, and the quite immobile and not bioavailable residual Hg by soil BSP, suitable reduction of clay content and increase of BSP would be of much help to reduce the Hg availability and Hg activity in Hg-contaminated soils.     

闽北不同土地利用方式与不同降雨强度对水土流失的影响

运用径流小区法研究闽北不同土地利用方式与不同降雨强度对水土流失的影响.结果表明:1)不同土地利用方式年均径流量的大小顺序为裸露地＞柑橘园＞锥栗林＞杉木林,年均土壤流失量的大小顺序为裸露地＞锥栗林＞柑橘园＞杉木林;2)降雨强度对土壤流失量的影响高于对径流量的影响,不同土地利用方式的径流量及土壤流失量与各降雨强度指标呈显著性幂函数关系,但各指标的拟合相关程度不同;3)裸露地(对照)土壤流失量与I10的相关性最高,锥栗林的土壤流失量与Ⅰ30和Ⅰ60的相关性最好,柑橘园的土壤流失量与Ⅰ30的相关性最好,而杉木林的土壤流失量与降雨强度的相关性极弱;4)裸露地、锥栗林和柑橘园的径流量与Ⅰ60和Ⅰ30的相关性较好,杉木林的径流量与降雨强度的相关性极弱;5)各土地利用方式的径流量和土壤流失量与Ⅰave的相关性均很弱.     

Water repellency and moisture content spatial variations under Rosmarinus officinalis and Quercus coccifera in a Mediterranean burned soil

Variations in the distribution pattern of soil water repellency (SWR) and soil moisture are of major importance for the hydrological and geomorphological processes in Mediterranean burned areas, and also for their ecological implications concerning to re-establishment of the vegetation cover. This paper studies the influence of Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Quercus coccifera L. vegetated patches on SWR and their relationships with soil moisture content (SMC) and soil organic matter (SOM) in burned and unburned calcareous soils of a Mediterranean shrubland ecosystem, considering the first rainfall event occurred after the wildfire in Les Useres (Castellón, eastern Spain).     

The impact of fire frequency on selected soil physical properties in a semi-arid savannah Thornveld

The use of fire in rangeland management is standard practice, but the impact of fire frequency on soil physical properties is still not properly understood. In this study, the effect of fire frequency on selected physical properties was studied in a long-term burning experiment. Treatments included: no burn (control), sexennial, quadrennial, triennial, biennial and annual burns. A line intercept sampling technique was used to collect disturbed and undisturbed soil samples from the surface for analysis. Frequent burning significantly increased the aggregate stability and bulk density when compared to less frequent burning. Frequent burning resulted in lower hydraulic conductivities and water conducting macroporosity when compared to intermediate burning frequencies, likely due to lower organic carbon contents associated with frequent burning. Soil water repellency was the highest in quadrennial burned plots. The results indicate that frequent burning can have a detrimental impact on soil physical properties, but small variations in inherent soil properties (texture) have a more dominant effect on the physical properties than fire frequency management. The results emphasize the complexity related the effect of fire on soil properties and future work should include all environmental factors in order to derive sustainable burning frequencies for this site.