Short-term effects of experimental fire on physicochemical and microbial properties of a Mediterranean cambisol

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Jasna Hrenović
• Author: Ivica Kisić
• Author: Domina Delač; MBZ: 24054
• Author: Goran Durn
• Author: Igor Bogunović
• Author: Mateja Mikulec
• Author: Paulo Pereira
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Agriculture
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering; (Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Mineral Resources)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES; Agronomy
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Geology

Abstract (english)

Little is known about the bonfire impact on microbial properties in soil. This work aimed to study moderate- to high-severity experimental burning (250 °C) compared to unburned Cambisol in a natural Mediterranean environment (Croatia) on selected soil properties. The soil was sampled immediately and 1, 2, 4, and 6 months after the fire. The fire increased the mean weight diameter, water stable aggregates, and water repellence in different soil fractions, and the observed effect was the strongest immediately after the fire. It also altered soil pH, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen carbon, and sulphur content, and completely destroyed carbapenem-resistant bacteria, but did not significantly affect the soil’s mineralogical properties. Six months after the fire, most microbial properties (save for pH) returned to near control values. Heterotrophic, sporogenic, and phosphate-solubilising bacteria started to recover after a month, whereas the population of carbapenem-resistant bacteria was destroyed initially, but recovered by the fourth month after the fire. Dehydrogenase activity was not significantly affected, but proper recovery started four months after the fire. Even though Cambisol showed some resilience to fire and its properties mostly returned to normal by the sixth month, and a full recovery is expected to occur later, as vegetation returns.

• Keywords (english): experimental wildfire; mineralogical properties; physicochemical properties; bacteria; soil
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Fire
• Numbering: vol. 6, no. 4, 155
• e-ISSN: 2571-6255
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6040155
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:169:867965
• Publication: 2023-04-13
• Project: Number: IP-2018-01-1645; Title (croatian): Utjecaj otvorenih požara na kvalitetu tla i voda; Acronym: POP&KTV; Leader: Ivica Kisić; Jurisdiction: Croatia; Funding stream: Research Projects
• Document URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/6/4/155
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-11-12 14:08:45