FORMATION OF POST-FIRE WATER-REPELLENT LAYERS IN MONTERREY PINE (pinus radiata D. DON) PLANTATIONS IN SOUTH-CENTRAL CHILE

• Published in: Journal of soil science and plant nutrition Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 399 - 406
• Main Authors: Garcia-Chevesich, P(University of Arizona Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering ,Universidad Santo Tomás Facultad de Recursos Naturales), Pizarro, R(Universidad de Talca Facultad de Ciencias Forestales), Stropki, C.L(SWCA Environmental Consultants), Ramirez de Arellano, P(Bioforest S. A.), Ffolliott, P.F(University of Arizona School of Natural Resources and the Environment), DeBano, L.F(University of Arizona School of Natural Resources and the Environment), Neary, D.G(US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station), Slack, D.C(University of Arizona Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chilean Society of Soil Science/Sociedad Chilena de la Ciencia del Suelo 2010; Chilean Society of Soil Science / Sociedad Chilena de la Ciencia del Suelo
• Subjects: fire effects; Soil hydrophobicity; SOIL SCIENCE; wetting behavior; wetting behavior; Soil hydrophobicity; fire effects
• ISSN: 0718-9516; 0718-9516
• DOI: 10.4067/S0718-95162010000200001

A wildfire burned about 15,000 ha of Monterrey Pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) plantations near Yungay, Chile, in January of 2007. Post-fire water repellency (hydrophobicity) was measured using the water-drop-penetration-time (WDPT) method at depths of 0, 5, and 10 mm from the soil surface. These measurements were collected on burned sites of both young (4-years old) and old (11-years old) plantations having both sand- and clay-rich soils. For purpose of comparison, water repellency was also measured one year after the wildfire on four unburned sites representing the same soil types and plantation ages as those occurring on the burned sites. The statistical analyses indicated that water repellency was present only on old stands, being located on the soil surface (clay soils) or as a layer 10 mm deeper or below (sandy soils). However, a water repellent layer was found on young stands growing on sandy soils, five millimeters below the surface, assumed to be formed when a wildfire burned the area before the new plantation was established.