Assessing the Relationship between Litter + Duff Consumption and Post-Fire Soil Temperature Regimes
The immediate effects of wildland fire on soil have been well documented. However, we know much less about the longer-term effects and their implications for plants. Post-fire soil temperature regimes, for example, have received relatively little research attention, despite potential effects on plan...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Fire |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/3/4/64 |
| _version_ | 1797548528157851648 |
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| author | Crystal N. Smith Donald L. Hagan |
| author_facet | Crystal N. Smith Donald L. Hagan |
| author_sort | Crystal N. Smith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The immediate effects of wildland fire on soil have been well documented. However, we know much less about the longer-term effects and their implications for plants. Post-fire soil temperature regimes, for example, have received relatively little research attention, despite potential effects on plant phenology and establishment. Using portable temperature datalogger units (iButtons), we conducted an experimental study to assess how fire severity (measured in terms of litter and duff consumption) influences biologically relevant temperature parameters such as diel minimums, maximums, means, and ranges. We also used these data to calculate cumulative soil growing degree days (GDDs). The study was conducted during the early to mid-spring to capture the transition from dormant season to growing season. Results indicate that mean and max soil temperatures increase in the weeks after fire, with the most pronounced effects in the higher severity treatments. By the end of the 40-day study period, soils in the high severity burn treatment had accumulated 72 GDDs, compared to 17.9, 13.6, and 1.4 in moderate, low, and control treatments, respectively. These findings indicate that fire severity has significant and persistent effects on post-fire soil temperature regimes, and this likely has implications for the post-fire vegetation response. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:00:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-19690eea68f94e2ea918bec4cf01570f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6255 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:00:31Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fire |
| spelling | doaj.art-19690eea68f94e2ea918bec4cf01570f2023-11-20T20:11:01ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552020-11-01346410.3390/fire3040064Assessing the Relationship between Litter + Duff Consumption and Post-Fire Soil Temperature RegimesCrystal N. Smith0Donald L. Hagan1Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USADepartment of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USAThe immediate effects of wildland fire on soil have been well documented. However, we know much less about the longer-term effects and their implications for plants. Post-fire soil temperature regimes, for example, have received relatively little research attention, despite potential effects on plant phenology and establishment. Using portable temperature datalogger units (iButtons), we conducted an experimental study to assess how fire severity (measured in terms of litter and duff consumption) influences biologically relevant temperature parameters such as diel minimums, maximums, means, and ranges. We also used these data to calculate cumulative soil growing degree days (GDDs). The study was conducted during the early to mid-spring to capture the transition from dormant season to growing season. Results indicate that mean and max soil temperatures increase in the weeks after fire, with the most pronounced effects in the higher severity treatments. By the end of the 40-day study period, soils in the high severity burn treatment had accumulated 72 GDDs, compared to 17.9, 13.6, and 1.4 in moderate, low, and control treatments, respectively. These findings indicate that fire severity has significant and persistent effects on post-fire soil temperature regimes, and this likely has implications for the post-fire vegetation response.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/3/4/64dufffire severitylitterphenologyprescribed firesoil temperature |
| spellingShingle | Crystal N. Smith Donald L. Hagan Assessing the Relationship between Litter + Duff Consumption and Post-Fire Soil Temperature Regimes Fire duff fire severity litter phenology prescribed fire soil temperature |
| title | Assessing the Relationship between Litter + Duff Consumption and Post-Fire Soil Temperature Regimes |
| title_full | Assessing the Relationship between Litter + Duff Consumption and Post-Fire Soil Temperature Regimes |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the Relationship between Litter + Duff Consumption and Post-Fire Soil Temperature Regimes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the Relationship between Litter + Duff Consumption and Post-Fire Soil Temperature Regimes |
| title_short | Assessing the Relationship between Litter + Duff Consumption and Post-Fire Soil Temperature Regimes |
| title_sort | assessing the relationship between litter duff consumption and post fire soil temperature regimes |
| topic | duff fire severity litter phenology prescribed fire soil temperature |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/3/4/64 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT crystalnsmith assessingtherelationshipbetweenlitterduffconsumptionandpostfiresoiltemperatureregimes AT donaldlhagan assessingtherelationshipbetweenlitterduffconsumptionandpostfiresoiltemperatureregimes |