Skip to main content
Author(s):
Martin F. Jurgensen, Alan E. Harvey, Michael J. Larsen
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Fire Effects
Ecological - First Order
Soil Heating
Ecological - Second Order
Soils
Ecosystem(s):
Subalpine dry spruce-fir forest, Montane dry mixed-conifer forest

NRFSN number: 11956
FRAMES RCS number: 14129
Record updated:

The effects of a prescribed broadcast fire on soil nitrogen (N) levels and related soil properties were determined following the clearcutting of a 250-year-old Douglas-fir/western larch stand in northwestern Montana. Soil N losses from burning amounted to slightly over 90 lb/acre (100 kg/ha), all from the surface organic layers. This was 6 percent of the total N originally present in the surface 12 inches (30 cm) of soil. ln contrast, soil ammonium concentration increased within 2 days following the fire. Rapid nitrification also occurred after a 3-week lag period. The higher nitrate levels were associated with increased populations of nitrifying bacteria. Both soil ammonium and nitrate concentrations returned to preburn levels by the end of the following summer. Soil acidity was decreased after the burn and had not yet returned to original levels in the organic horizons 4 years later. Organic matter content of the mineral soil was not affected by the fire. No long-term depletion of soil N reserves would result from this prescribed fire. Plant reestablishment on the site benefited by increased soil N availability.

Citation

Jurgensen, Martin F.; Harvey, Alan E.; Larsen, Michael J. 1981. Effects of prescribed fire on soil nitrogen levels in a cutover Douglas-fir/western larch forest. Res. Pap. INT-RP-275. Ogden, UT: USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 6 p.

Access this Document

Treesearch

publication access with no paywall

Check to see if this document is available for free in the USDA Forest Service Treesearch collection of publications. The collection includes peer reviewed publications in scientific journals, books, conference proceedings, and reports produced by Forest Service employees, as well as science synthesis publications and other products from Forest Service Research Stations.