Impact of forest fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties in pine and scrub forests in high Andean zones of Peru

Forest fires are the main threat to ecosystems and human life. The frequency, seasonality, extent and severity of fires affect ecosystems and the physical and chemical properties of the soil by direct (heating) and indirect (ash) effects. This could affect biodiversity and forest residency in the fa...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Heinz Gonzáles, Candy L. Ocaña, Jefferson A. Cubas, Daniel José Vega-Nieva, Mario Ruíz, Almites Santos, Elgar Barboza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Trees, Forests and People
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719324001663
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846148439230906368
author Heinz Gonzáles
Candy L. Ocaña
Jefferson A. Cubas
Daniel José Vega-Nieva
Mario Ruíz
Almites Santos
Elgar Barboza
author_facet Heinz Gonzáles
Candy L. Ocaña
Jefferson A. Cubas
Daniel José Vega-Nieva
Mario Ruíz
Almites Santos
Elgar Barboza
author_sort Heinz Gonzáles
collection DOAJ
description Forest fires are the main threat to ecosystems and human life. The frequency, seasonality, extent and severity of fires affect ecosystems and the physical and chemical properties of the soil by direct (heating) and indirect (ash) effects. This could affect biodiversity and forest residency in the face of climate change. In this study, we evaluated the impact of fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties caused by forest fires in a high Andean area of Peru. For this purpose, the severity levels, the degree of hydrophobicity, and the physical and chemical properties of the soil were analyzed by sampling in affected areas (Pinus radiata D. Don plantation and shrubland) and unaffected areas. The results showed a very low severity in soil components, with a strong hydrophobicity, more persistent in the forest plantation area than in the shrubland. The physical properties of the soil did not show variations; however, in the Pinus plantations they showed variations in their chemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, nitrogen and cation exchange capacity compared to areas not affected by the forest fires. Likewise, in the study area an adequate regeneration process was evidenced; in fact, it is important to apply mechanisms to accelerate the restoration of the vegetation cover and the physical and chemical quality of the vegetation.
format Article
id doaj-art-0b1f7b5c5ce54a95b05b3b9b5cdb349a
institution Kabale University
issn 2666-7193
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Trees, Forests and People
spelling doaj-art-0b1f7b5c5ce54a95b05b3b9b5cdb349a2024-12-01T05:08:22ZengElsevierTrees, Forests and People2666-71932024-12-0118100659Impact of forest fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties in pine and scrub forests in high Andean zones of PeruHeinz Gonzáles0Candy L. Ocaña1Jefferson A. Cubas2Daniel José Vega-Nieva3Mario Ruíz4Almites Santos5Elgar Barboza6Escuela Académica Profesional de Ingeniería Forestal y Ambiental, Universidad Nacional de Jaén (UNJ), Jaén 06801, PeruInstituto de Investigación en Ciencia de Datos, Universidad Nacional de Jaén (UNJ), Jaén 06801, PeruEscuela Académica Profesional de Ingeniería Forestal y Ambiental, Universidad Nacional de Jaén (UNJ), Jaén 06801, PeruFacultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango (UJED), Durango 34120, MexicoEscuela Académica Profesional de Ingeniería Forestal y Ambiental, Universidad Nacional de Jaén (UNJ), Jaén 06801, PeruEscuela de Ingeniería Forestal, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca (UNC), Cajamarca 06001, PeruLaboratorio de Agrostología, Instituto de Investigación en Ganadería y Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas (UNTRM), Chachapoyas 01001, Peru; Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias para el Desarrollo Sustentable, Escuela de Posgrado, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas (UNTRM), Chachapoyas 01001, Peru; Corresponding author at: Laboratorio de Agrostología, Instituto de Investigación en Ganadería y Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas (UNTRM), Chachapoyas 01001, Peru.Forest fires are the main threat to ecosystems and human life. The frequency, seasonality, extent and severity of fires affect ecosystems and the physical and chemical properties of the soil by direct (heating) and indirect (ash) effects. This could affect biodiversity and forest residency in the face of climate change. In this study, we evaluated the impact of fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties caused by forest fires in a high Andean area of Peru. For this purpose, the severity levels, the degree of hydrophobicity, and the physical and chemical properties of the soil were analyzed by sampling in affected areas (Pinus radiata D. Don plantation and shrubland) and unaffected areas. The results showed a very low severity in soil components, with a strong hydrophobicity, more persistent in the forest plantation area than in the shrubland. The physical properties of the soil did not show variations; however, in the Pinus plantations they showed variations in their chemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, nitrogen and cation exchange capacity compared to areas not affected by the forest fires. Likewise, in the study area an adequate regeneration process was evidenced; in fact, it is important to apply mechanisms to accelerate the restoration of the vegetation cover and the physical and chemical quality of the vegetation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719324001663Burned areaForestsSoil hydrophobicityFire severityPostfire soil changesVegetation restoration
spellingShingle Heinz Gonzáles
Candy L. Ocaña
Jefferson A. Cubas
Daniel José Vega-Nieva
Mario Ruíz
Almites Santos
Elgar Barboza
Impact of forest fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties in pine and scrub forests in high Andean zones of Peru
Trees, Forests and People
Burned area
Forests
Soil hydrophobicity
Fire severity
Postfire soil changes
Vegetation restoration
title Impact of forest fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties in pine and scrub forests in high Andean zones of Peru
title_full Impact of forest fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties in pine and scrub forests in high Andean zones of Peru
title_fullStr Impact of forest fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties in pine and scrub forests in high Andean zones of Peru
title_full_unstemmed Impact of forest fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties in pine and scrub forests in high Andean zones of Peru
title_short Impact of forest fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties in pine and scrub forests in high Andean zones of Peru
title_sort impact of forest fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties in pine and scrub forests in high andean zones of peru
topic Burned area
Forests
Soil hydrophobicity
Fire severity
Postfire soil changes
Vegetation restoration
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719324001663
work_keys_str_mv AT heinzgonzales impactofforestfireseverityonsoilphysicalandchemicalpropertiesinpineandscrubforestsinhighandeanzonesofperu
AT candylocana impactofforestfireseverityonsoilphysicalandchemicalpropertiesinpineandscrubforestsinhighandeanzonesofperu
AT jeffersonacubas impactofforestfireseverityonsoilphysicalandchemicalpropertiesinpineandscrubforestsinhighandeanzonesofperu
AT danieljoseveganieva impactofforestfireseverityonsoilphysicalandchemicalpropertiesinpineandscrubforestsinhighandeanzonesofperu
AT marioruiz impactofforestfireseverityonsoilphysicalandchemicalpropertiesinpineandscrubforestsinhighandeanzonesofperu
AT almitessantos impactofforestfireseverityonsoilphysicalandchemicalpropertiesinpineandscrubforestsinhighandeanzonesofperu
AT elgarbarboza impactofforestfireseverityonsoilphysicalandchemicalpropertiesinpineandscrubforestsinhighandeanzonesofperu