Fire is critical for nutrient turnover in western North American landscapes. The conversion of carbon and nitrogen to more labile forms enhances the regrowth of vegetation, reducing the potential for post-fire erosion. We examined the effect of fire on nutrients for the Jesusita (2009), Station (2009), and Fourmile Canyon Fires (2010) in California and Colorado. Background carbon and nitrogen concentrations were influenced by mean annual precipitation, temperature and vegetation. Ash was enriched in organic C and N relative to soil. Soils from the Jesusita fire showed an increased organic carbon concentration and decrease in 13C associated with ash and burned soils. Soil carbon decreased with burn intensity in the Fourmile Canyon fire, although differences in initial vegetation type also influenced carbon concentrations. The sum of these studies demonstrates the need to understand the effect of burn intensity on soil nutrients when considering the net impact of fire on watersheds.

Effect of fire on soil carbon and nitrogen

242nd National Meeting (2011)

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