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Research article2003Peer reviewed

Changes in soil chemical and microbial properties after a wildfire in a tropical rainforest in Sabah, Malaysia

Ilstedt U, Giesler R, Nordgren A, Malmer A

Abstract

Changes in soil caused by drought and wildfire in a Dipterocarp rainforest in Sabah, Malaysia were assessed by phosphorus fractionation, extractable nitrogen and nutrient limited respiration kinetics (after addition of glucose + N or P). Fire increased the concentration of total phosphorus (P) in the litter layer (per ha and per dry soil) by raising the 0.2 M NaOH extractable-P. In the soil organic layer, membrane exchangeable P was reduced by fire while 1.0 M HCl extractable-P, and 0.5 M NaHCO3 extractable-P increased. Microbially available P increased after the fire and was most closely related to NaOH extractable-P that has been considered available to plants only over long timescales. Total nitrogen (N) increased in the litter layer (per ha and per dry soil) due to post-fire litter fall, while the NO3- increased up to 10-fold down to the 10 cm mineral soil. In contrast, the microbially available N decreased by 50%. Basal respiration and substrate-induced respiration increased in the litter layer and decreased in the organic horizon (per dry soil and per organic matter). P limited microbial growth resulted in a slow and non-exponential increase in respiration, presumably reflecting the P-fixing nature of the soils, while N limitation resulted in a fast exponential increase. However, higher respiration rates were eventually achieved under P limitation than under N limitation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Keywords

Acrisol; Ultisol; Soil quality; Fertility; Hedley fractionation

Published in

Soil Biology and Biochemistry
2003, Volume: 35, number: 8, pages: 1071-1078
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

      SLU Authors

      • Giesler, Reiner

        • Department of Forest Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

        • Nordgren, Anders

          • Department of Forest Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

          • Malmer, Anders

            • Department of Forest Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

          UKÄ Subject classification

          Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use

          Publication identifier

          DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(03)00152-4

          Permanent link to this page (URI)

          https://res.slu.se/id/publ/117