Fire effects on belowground sustainability: a review and synthesis
Abstract
The overall effects of fire on ecosystems are complex, ranging from the reduction or elimination of aboveground biomass to impacts on belowground physical, chemical and microbial mediated processes. Since a key component of overall ecosystem sustainability occurs belowground, recovery is tied to the soil's physical, chemical, and biological functions and processes. Depending on several fire severity measures, changes in belowground components can be either beneficial or deleterious to the entire ecosystem. Low-impact burning can promote a herbaceous flora, increase plant available nutrients, and thin over-crowded forests, all of which can foster healthy systems. Severe fires can often cause changes in successional rates, alter above- and belowground species composition, generate volatilization of nutrients and ash entrainment in smoke columns, produce rapid or decreased mineralization rates, alter C : N ratios, and result in subsequent nutrient losses through accelerated erosion, leaching or denitrification. In addition, changes in soil hydrologic functioning, degradation of soil physical properties, decreases in micro- and macrofauna, and alterations in microbial populations and associated processes can occur. The direct effect of fire on belowground systems is a result of the burning severity, which integrates aboveground fuel loading (live and dead), soil moisture and subsequent soil temperatures, and duration of the burn. The time for recovery of belowground systems will…
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Fire frequently reduces soil microbial populations directly due to heating.
“Fire frequently reduces soil microbial populations directly due to heating (Neary et al., 1999).”
From Wildfire Induces Changes in Receiving Waters: A Review With Considerations for Water Quality Management (2022) · cites this paper as Neary et al., 1999
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- Authors
- Neary, D. G., Klopatek, C. C., DeBano, L. F., & Ffolliott, P. F.
- Affiliations
- US Forest Service (US)
- University of Arizona (US)
- Corresponding author
- Neary, Daniel G
- Venue
- Forest Ecology and Management
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1999-09
- Volume
- 122
- Issue
- 1-2
- Pages
- 51-71
- ISSN
- 0378-1127 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1971981820
- Cited by
- 1,596
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 48 · 2025: 69 · 2024: 56 · 2023: 74 · 2022: 92 · 2021: 66 · 2020: 63 · 2019: 88 · 2018: 75 · 2017: 72 · 2016: 81 · 2015: 70 · 2014: 79 · 2013: 85 · 2012: 77
- FWCI
- 11.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Forest Ecology and Management (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Keywords
- fire effects, soil sustainability, soil nutrient mineralization, nutrient leaching, denitrification, soil microbial communities, soil fauna, soil hydrology, soil physical properties, post-fire recovery, ecological succession, land use history, ecosystem sustainability
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