Impact of fire on chemical characteristics of the soil in the Dalmatia

Impact of fire on chemical characteristics of

the soil in the Dalmatia

Ivica Kisić; Igor Bogunović; Aleksandra Jurišić

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Wildfires in Dalmatia

Dalmatian region under biggest risk from fires

Great socio-economic changes lead to increased number of fires

Croatia (1998-2008): 29100 (31.7%) fires were recorded in Dalmatia

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Objective

Evaluate effect of wildfire in Mediterranean flora in comparison to TC, TN, TS, K and P, and C/N, N/S ratios.

Hypothesize chemical soil parameters in Dalmatian natural flora will vary substantially, and disturbance will lead to marked changes.

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Materials and methods Location: island Korcula and Peljesac peninsula

(43°02'-42°45' N, 16°37'-17°46' E)

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Materials and methods - climatic characteristics

Mediterranean climate long, dry and hot summers; winters are mild and humid.

Average annual temp 11.2 0C, min in January 9.8 0C, max in July 26.9 0C.

Average annual rainfall 1300 mm

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Materials and methods - flora:

coniferous trees:

Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis),

pines (Pinus pinea), Dalmatian black pine (Pinus

nigra), cypress (Cypressus sp.) Maki, Holm oak (Ilex querxus),

and also grows Carob and Laurel.

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Materials and methods – analysis

Samples in layer 0-5 cm with similar aspect, slope, elevation and vegetation characteristics

pH electrometric method in KCl suspension

TN dry combustion method

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Materials and methods

TC after dry combustion

TS by dry combustion

P2O5 and K2O extracted by AL solution and detected by spectrophotometric and flame photometric

Data observed by ANOVA (Fishers LSD test at P≤ 0.05)

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Results

Soil pH; Soil layer 0-5 cm

a

aa

a 7,27

b

bb

b

6,62

4,00

5,00

6,00

7,00

8,00

Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average

pH

Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014

Results

Soil Avaiable P2O5; Soil layer 0-5 cm

210

a

a

a

a

26b

b b b

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average

mg

kg

-1 s

oil

Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014

Results

Soil Avaiable K2O; Soil layer 0-5 cm

aaa

a

737

b

b

b

b

425

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average

mg

kg

-1 s

oil

Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014

Results

Total Nitrogen (TN); Soil layer 0-5 cm

0,553

a

a

b

a

0,371

b

aa

b

0,000

0,100

0,200

0,300

0,400

0,500

0,600

0,700

0,800

0,900

1,000

Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average

%

Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014

Results

Total Carbon (TC); Soil layer 0-5 cm

a

b

b a10,19

ba

a

b

9,21

0,00

2,00

4,00

6,00

8,00

10,00

12,00

14,00

16,00

18,00

Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average

%

Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014

Results

Total Sulfur (TS); Soil layer 0-5 cm

0,076ba

a

a

0,074

b

aa

a

0,020

0,030

0,040

0,050

0,060

0,070

0,080

0,090

0,100

0,110

0,120

Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average

%

Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014

Results

C/N and N/S ratio; Soil layer 0-5 cm

20,2 20,4

11,8

23,6

19,0

5,5 4,5

9,9 8,7 7,2

23,820,2

12,0

87,3

35,8

5,2 5,2 5,2 3,9 4,9

0,0

15,0

30,0

45,0

60,0

75,0

90,0

Smokvica2011

Blato2012

Panjika2012

Ponikve2011

Average Smokvica2011

Blato2012

Panjika2012

Ponikve2011

Average

C/N N/S

Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014

Conclusions

Difference in terms of soil properties beetween burned and control areas

Burned soil samples recorded higher values of pH, P, K, TN and TC.

TS values are approximately equal

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Conclusions

Burned samples in average contain more favorable C/N and wider N/S ratio

Caution low number of samples different vegetation type and cover erosion signs require more research

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014

Hvala na pažnji

Bihać, 28. 04. 2014