Prescribed fire-induced changes in properties of sub-boreal forest soils

• Published in: Geoderma Vol. 113; no. 1; pp. 1 - 16
• Main Authors: Arocena, J.M, Opio, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.04.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Amphibole; British Columbia; CEC; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Geochemistry; Mineralogy; Nutrients; Soil and rock geochemistry; Soils; Surficial geology; Canada; Western Canada; British Columbia; CEC; pH; Nutrients; British Columbia; Amphibole; Mineralogy; chain silicates; kaolinite; cation exchange capacity; X-ray diffraction; SEM data; North America; clay; nutrients; Amphihole; forest soils; temperature; sheet silicates; silicates; cracks; soils; clastic rocks; scanning electron microscopy; vermiculite; morphology; silt; sedimentary rocks; fires; physicochemical properties; clay minerals; amphibole
• ISSN: 0016-7061; 1872-6259
• DOI: 10.1016/S0016-7061(02)00312-9

Pile and windrow burning of logging slash are important silvicultural practices in sub-boreal forests, yet, little is known about their effects on soil properties. We investigated the physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of soils collected 2 years after prescribed pile and windrow burning treatments of clearcut forest site in the central interior of British Columbia. We also used scanning electron microscopy to investigate the effects of fire on soil morphology, particularly, soil aggregate and sand fraction. We observed higher soil pH, exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na and base saturation in burnt plots compared to unburnt plots. The concentrations of total and available N were similar in all treatments. In general, pile burning had more significant effects on soil properties than windrow burning. Pile and windrow burning reduced the amount of 2:1 expanding clays (vermiculite) but not kaolinite in the clay fractions of Ae and Bm horizons indicating that the temperature <500 °C. Prescribed burns may also have caused the cracks in sand-sized amphibole, perhaps reducing their sizes into silt fraction and finer. The prescribed burns may also be responsible for the cracking patterns observed in soil aggregates and sand fraction potentially contributing to increased weathering rates.