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Effect of Prescribed Fire on Soil Properties and N Transformation in Two Vegetation Types in South China

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Abstract

Prescribed fire is a common site preparation practice in forest management in southern China. However, the effect of fire on soil properties and N transformations is still poorly understood in this region. In this study, soil properties and N transformations in burned and unburned site of two vegetation types (Eucalyptus plantation and shrubland) were compared in rainy and dry seasons after 2 years’ prescribed fire. Soil pH and soil NH4-N were all higher in the burned site compared to the unburned control. Furthermore, burned sites had 30–40 % lower of soil total phosphorus than conspecific unburned sites. There was no difference in soil organic matter, total N, soil exchangeable cations, available P or NO3-N. Nitrogen mineralization rate of 0–5 cm soil in the unburned site ranged from 8.24 to 11.6 mg N kg−1 soil month−1 in the rainy season, compared to a lower level of 4.82–5.25 mg N kg−1 soil month−1 in the burned sites. In contrast, 0–5 cm layer nitrification rate was overall 2.47 mg N kg−1 soil month−1 in the rainy season, and was not significantly affected by burning. The reduced understory vegetation coverage after burning may be responsible for the higher soil NH4-N in the burned site. This study highlights that a better understanding the effect of prescribed burning on soil nutrients cycling would provide a critical foundation for management decision and be beneficial to afforestation in southern China.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by National Basic Research Program of China (2011CB403200), National Natural Science Foundation of China (30870442), NSFC-Guangdong Joint Project (U1131001), Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (S2011040005712), the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-EW-J-28) and the “Strategic Priority Research Program—Climate Change: Carbon Budget and Related Issues” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA05070307), and Guangdong Forestry Innovation Project (2012KJCX013-02) .

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510160, People’s Republic of China

    Faming Wang, Jian Li, Bi Zou, Xin Xu & Zhian Li

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 10000, People’s Republic of China

    Jian Li & Xin Xu

Authors
  1. Faming Wang
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  2. Jian Li
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  3. Bi Zou
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  4. Xin Xu
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  5. Zhian Li
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Correspondence to Zhian Li.

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Faming Wang and Jian Li contributed equally to this paper.

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Wang, F., Li, J., Zou, B. et al. Effect of Prescribed Fire on Soil Properties and N Transformation in Two Vegetation Types in South China. Environmental Management 51, 1164–1173 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-013-0044-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-013-0044-6

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