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Author(s):
Brian P. Oswald, Douglas Davenport, Leon F. Neuenschwander
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Fire Effects
Ecological - First Order
Soil Heating
Ecological - Second Order
Soils
Fuels
Fuel Treatments & Effects
Prescribed Fire-use treatments
Ecosystem(s):
Montane dry mixed-conifer forest

NRFSN number: 13125
Record updated:

To determine the initial effects of slash pile burning on chemical and physical properties in the Vassar soil series, mineral soil samples from two depths (2.5 cm and 12.5 cm) were collected before and after burning slash piles of four fuel loadings (0.5 m, 1 m, 2 m and 3 m) over wet and dry soils, as well as from burned and unburned litter plots. Surface soil CEC decreased with increasing fuel loads, reflecting the increased combustion of fuels, longer residence time of the fires, and increased fire severity with these heavier loads. Available nitrogen increased with increasing fuel loads as a result of the increased total quantity of mineralization of organic N from the heavier fuels. While some cations (magnesium and sodium) increased after burning, others, such as calcium, in general decreased.

Citation

Oswald, Brian P.; Davenport, Douglas; Neuenschwander, Leon F. 1998. Effects of slash pile burning on the physical and chemical soil properties of Vassar soils. Journal of Sustainable Forestry. 8(1): 75-86.

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