Long-term evolution of shrub prescribed burning effects on topsoil organic matter and biological activity in the Central Pyrenees (NE-Spain)

Abstract

Since the last half of the 20th Century, scrubs have been invading subclimatic grasslands in the montane and subalpine stages of Spain due to the decrease of the grazing activity. This shrub encroachment reduces biodiversity and the ecopastoral value of the region and leads to the accumulation of woody fuel, which represents a high fire risk. To control the encroachment, prescribed burnings are performed but their effects on soils over the years are still undetermined. This study aims to research about the long-term effects of a prescribed burn of Echinospartum horridum (Vahl) Roth. on topsoil organic matter and biological activity. Soil sampling was carried out in Tella-Sin (Central Pyrenees, Aragón, Spain) and four treatments were selected: unburned (UB), immediately burned (B0), burned 6 years before (B6, mid-term) and burned 10 years before (B10, long-term). Among the obtained results, an immediately after burning decrease on β-D-glucosidase activity (GLU) was found, which did not recover over time. Other properties did not have an immediate reduction but did so over time: total soil organic carbon (SOC), labile carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), basal soil respiration (bSR). And others were not affected at all: microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and the microbial metabolic quotient (qCO₂). Moreover, the normalized soil respiration (nSR) increased with the time, which implies an acceleration of the potential mineralization of soil organic carbon. In short, although the elimination of the dense shrubs by fire has not entailed major immediate soil modifications, which would be typical of a low severity prescribed burn, several mid- and long-term effects in the C cycle have been observed. Future studies will have to discern what is the main cause of these modifications (soil microbial composition, edaphoclimatic changes, lack of soil cover and soil loss, soil fertility, etc.).

Keywords: Eutric-Leptic Cambisol; Prescribed fire; Shrub encroachment; Soil microbial activity; Soil organic carbon; Subalpine grasslands.