Post-fire effects on soil properties in red pine (pinus densiflora) stands

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate change on soil properties due to the fire for one week and one year in Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc, one of the most important timber species in Korea. After one year, bulk density of the high intensity fire area increased in surface soil (0∼5 cm) compared with the unburned area. Bulk density to 25 cm was greater in the high than in the low intensity fire areas. Soil pH, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium increased immediately after fire in surface soil of the burned area compared with the unburned area, but there was no marked change in subsurface soil (5∼25 cm). Organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable cations in the surface soil were generally less in the high than in the low intensity fire areas, suggesting oxidation and volatilization loss. Soil pH and nutrients in surface soil of the burned area decreased rapidly after one year from forest fire. The results suggest that the decrease of nutrients after one year from forest fire may be associated with uptake by vegetation, and accelerated erosion and leaching losses by the exposure of mineral soils. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.