Rev. Bras. Ciênc. Solo.2023;47:e0230009.
Slope position controls prescribed fire effects on soil: a case study in the high-elevation grassland of Itatiaia National Park
Ana Paula Pessim de Oliveira 
, Eduardo Carvalho da Silva Neto , Robson Altiellys Tosta Marcondes , Marcos Gervasio Pereira , Marcelo Souza Motta , Yan Vidal de Figueiredo Gomes Diniz , Hugo de Souza Fagundes , Rafael Coll Delgado , Otavio Augusto Queiroz dos Santos , Lúcia Helena Cunha dos Anjos
28/Nov/2023
DOI: 10.36783/18069657rbcs20230009
Graphical Abstract
Highlights
Prescribed fire is a management strategy to prevent fires of high intensity and severity.
Were examined the prescribed fire effects on soil in footslope and backslope position.
All soil properties investigated were affected by low-intensity prescribed fire.
In the footslope, the system shows greater resilience to the effects of fire.
ABSTRACT
There is a need for greater knowledge about the medium- and long-term effects of prescribed fire management on soil in ecosystems prone to wildfires and more vulnerable to climate change. This study examined the short- and medium-term effects of prescribed fire on soil chemical properties and chemical fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) in two positions of the landscape in a high-elevation grassland environment. The ecosystem is located in the mountain peaks of southeastern Brazil associated with the Atlantic Forest biome. Prescribed fire was conducted in 2017 to reduce understory vegetation and thus prevent potential severe wildfires. Soil samples were collected at the layers of 0.00-0.10, 0.10-0.20, and 0.20-0.40 m, at eight composite sampling. The composite samples were collected on five different occasions: before the prescribed fire, and 10, 30, 90, and 240 days after the prescribed fire. Soil chemical properties, total organic carbon, labile C, and chemical fractionation of SOM were analyzed. All soil properties investigated were affected by the prescribed fire, with variations in landscape position, duration of effect, and soil layer. In the backslope area, the medium-term effect of fire was negative and induced soil degradation and induced soil degradation. In the footslope area, the system showed greater resilience to the effects of fire, as indicated by the recovery of the soil’s chemical properties. These results can help assess the suitability of controlled burning of vegetation for managing risks of fire in mountainous regions, such as high-elevation grasslands.
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