Abstract

LA MANNA, Ludmila  and  BARROETAVENA, Carolina. Soil chemical properties in burned Nothofagus antarctica and Austrocedrus chilensis forests. Rev. Fac. Cienc. Agrar., Univ. Nac. Cuyo [online]. 2011, vol.43, n.1, pp.41-55. ISSN 1853-8665.

This study aimed to characterize the surface soil chemical fertility nine months after the occurrence of fires in two Andean Patagonian forests: Nothofagus antarctica and Austrocedrus chilensis. The study focused on an area of volcanic ash soils affected by the wildfire locally known as La Colisión (Chubut, Argentina, February 2008) and later covered by volcanic ash from the Chaitén volcano (May 2008). Soil samples were collected at two depths (0-5 cm and 5-10 cm) from stands of N. antarctica and A. chilensis, considering three fire levels (unburned control, low fire damage and high fire damage). As a result from fire, 0-5 cm soil samples from burned forests showed significant increase in pH and electrical conductivity, and decrease in organic matter content, total nitrogen, CEC and sodium than those from control sites. Samples at 5-10 cm from burned forests showed significantly lower organic matter content and total nitrogen, and higher sulfur content compared with control sites. The higher sulfur content in burned soils and the observed higher phosphorus content in allophanic soils with low degree of fire damage could improve vegetation recovery.

Keywords : Fire; Fertility; Ñire; Cypress.

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