Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1071/WF12030
Title (Primary) Charred wood remaining after a wildfire as a reservoir of macro- and micronutrients in a Mediterranean pine forest
Author Marañón-Jiménez, S.; Castro, J.; Fernández-Ondoño, E.; Zamora, R.
Source Titel International Journal of Wildland Fire
Year 2013
Department CHS
Volume 22
Issue 5
Page From 681
Page To 695
Language englisch
Keywords forest management, Mediterranean mountain, post-fire salvage logging, silvicultural treatments, soil nutrients, wood nutrients, woody debris
UFZ wide themes RU5;
Abstract

Large amounts of logs and coarse woody debris remain in the ecosystem after wildfires. However, the relevance of the nutrient reservoir contained in the remaining post-fire woody debris for the ecosystem nutrient reserves is rarely considered. In this paper, we determine the carbon and nutrient concentrations in the partially charred wood after a wildfire along an altitudinal gradient and assess the relative magnitude of the nutrient reservoir in the wood in relation to those existing in the first 10-cm soil layer. Soils were poorly developed and nutrients limiting for the vegetation requirements. Charred woody material still contained a relatively high concentration of nutrients compared to those reported for unburnt pine wood, and in general, this decreased with altitude. Partially charred wood represented a considerable pool of nutrients, due to both the relatively high concentrations and to the great amount of biomass still present after the fire. Potential contributions of the charred wood were particularly relevant for N and micronutrients Na, Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu, as wood contained 2–9 times more nutrients than the soil. Post-fire woody debris constitutes therefore a valuable natural element as a potential source of nutrients, which would be lost from ecosystems in cases where it is removed.

Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=13966
Marañón-Jiménez, S., Castro, J., Fernández-Ondoño, E., Zamora, R. (2013):
Charred wood remaining after a wildfire as a reservoir of macro- and micronutrients in a Mediterranean pine forest
Int. J. Wildland Fire 22 (5), 681 - 695 10.1071/WF12030