Sediment aggregation and water quality in wildfire-affected river basins.
Abstract
Off-site transfer of nutrient-rich burnt soil has implications for downstream water quality. Coarsening of effective particle size (EPS) distributions in burnt material via aggregation of fines into composite particles modifies post-fire sediment and nutrient transport dynamics. Experiments were undertaken to establish temperature controls on wildfire-enhanced soil aggregation. Burnt and unburnt soil from a temperate eucalypt forest were analysed for EPS and settling velocity using a LISST-ST (Laser In Situ Scatter and Transmissometry with Settling Tube) particle size analyser. Next, samples were burnt (250–550°C) before further analysis with the LISST-ST. Settling velocities of naturally burnt soil aggregates were greater than unburnt aggregates of the same EPS. Experimental burning indicated that dense water-stable aggregates form at relatively low temperatures (250°C) probably due to distillation and carbonisation, through pyrolysis, of organic volatiles in surface litter. Under these conditions, the EPS distribution of burnt surface soil coarsens with up to 50% of the <63-µm fraction becoming aggregated. A positive relationship between ‘plant-available’ phosphorus and burn temperature was observed. Given that a large proportion of soil particulate phosphorus is associated with the <63-µm fraction, fire-related aggregation processes have potentially important implications for post-fire fine sediment and nutrient transport and storage dynamics.
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This P-Ca interaction may influence algal and cyanobacterial growth (and thus eutrophication) by regulating P levels in freshwater systems.
“This P-Ca interaction may influence algal and cyanobacterial growth (and thus, eutrophication) by regulating P levels in freshwater systems (Bladon et al. 2008;Blake et al. 2009).”
From Chemical composition of wildfire ash produced in contrasting ecosystems and its toxicity to Daphnia magna (2019) · cites this paper as Blake et al. 2009
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Harper, A. R., Santin, C., Doerr, S. H., Froyd, C. A., Albini, D., Otero, X. L., Viñas, L., & Pérez-Fernández, B. (2019) · International Journal of Wildland Fire · doi:10.1071/wf18200 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
- Authors
- Blake, W. H., Wallbrink, P. J., & Droppo, I. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Plymouth (GB)
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU)
- Environment and Climate Change Canada (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Blake, W. H.
- ORCID
- Blake, W. H.
- Venue
- Marine and Freshwater Research
- Publisher
- CSIRO Publishing
- Published
- 2009-07-28
- Volume
- 60
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 653-659
- ISSN
- 1323-1650 (ISSN-L)
- 1448-6059
- OpenAlex
- W1969550023
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Marine and Freshwater Research (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Keywords
- forest fires, soil aggregation, water quality, effective particle size, settling velocity, burned soil, nutrient transport, phosphorus, pyrolysis, eucalypt forest, fine sediment, post-fire runoff, burn temperature
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