Wildfire impacts on nitrogen concentration and production from headwater streams in southern Alberta’s Rocky Mountains
Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine initial effects of the 2003 Lost Creek wildfire (southwestern Rocky Mountains of Alberta) on concentrations and production (yield and total export) of several nitrogen (N) forms, and to explore initial recovery of these effects within the first 3 years after the fire. During the first postfire year, nitrate (NO 3–), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations in severely burned watershed streams were 6.5, 4.1, and 5.3 times greater, respectively, than those in reference streams. Weaker effects were evident for concentrations of ammonium (NH 4+; 1.5 times) and total particulate nitrogen (TPN; 3.0 times). A rapid decline in mean watershed concentrations and production of NO 3–, DON, total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), and TN was observed from burned watersheds over the three seasons after the fire. However, elevated NO 3–, TDN, and TN concentrations and production were still evident during the snowmelt freshet and following precipitation events after 3 years. Effects of the burn were strongly influenced by the regional flow regime, with the most elevated N concentrations and production occurring during higher discharge periods (snowmelt freshet and storm flows).
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The largest fluxes of nitrogen, primarily as nitrate, are generally observed in the first year postfire as nitrogen is rapidly mobilized with runoff.
“The largest fluxes of N (primarily as nitrate) are generally observed in the first year postfire as N is rapidly mobilized with runoff.67”
From Wildfire and the Future of Water Supply (2014) · cites this paper as [67]
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 Bladon et al. 2008
Cites
Warming and earlier spring increase western U.S. forest wildfire activity.
Westerling, A. L., Hidalgo, H. G., Cayan, D. R., & Swetnam, T. W. (2006) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1128834 · Cited by 5,176 · cited 1× · see citing works
“The midelevation areas of the northern Rocky Mountains are one of the most vulnerable ecoregions in western North America, accounting for as much as 60% of the recent increases in large wildfires (Westerling et al. 2006).”
BackgroundMoody, J. A., & Martin, D. A. (2001) · Hydrological Processes · doi:10.1002/hyp.386 · Cited by 272 · cited 2× · see citing works
“…(Bayley and Schindler 1991), western cordillera (Gluns and Toews 1989; Spencer and Hauer 1991; Brass et al. 1996; Minshall et al. 1997; Gerla and Galloway 1998; Moody and Martin 2001; Kunze and Stednick 2006), and high-precipitation coastal regions (Feller and Kimmins 1984; prescribed burning).”
BackgroundHauer, F., & Spencer, C. (1998) · International Journal of Wildland Fire · doi:10.1071/wf9980183 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Phosphorus and Nitrogen Dynamics in Streams during a Wildfire
Spencer, C. N., & Hauer, F. R. (1991) · Journal of the North American Benthological Society · doi:10.2307/1467761 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
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Wildfire and the Future of Water Supply
Bladon, K. D., Emelko, M. B., Silins, U., & Stone, M. (2014) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es500130g · Cited by 354 · see citing works
Self-citationPaul, M. J., LeDuc, S. D., Lassiter, M. G., Moorhead, L. C., Noyes, P. D., & Leibowitz, S. G. (2022) · Water Resources Research · doi:10.1029/2021wr030699 · Cited by 219 · see citing works
Silins, U., Bladon, K. D., Kelly, E. N., Esch, E., Spence, J. R., Stone, M., Emelko, M. B., Boon, S., Wagner, M. J., Williams, C. H. S., et al. (2014) · Ecohydrology · doi:10.1002/eco.1474 · Cited by 130 · see citing works
Self-citationHarper, 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
Nunes, J. P., Doerr, S. H., Sheridan, G., Neris, J., Santín, C., Emelko, M. B., Silins, U., Robichaud, P. R., Elliot, W. J., & Keizer, J. (2018) · Hydrological Processes · doi:10.1002/hyp.11434 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
Self-citationStormwater contaminant loading following southern California wildfires
Stein, E. D., Brown, J. S., Hogue, T. S., Burke, M. P., & Kinoshita, A. (2012) · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry · doi:10.1002/etc.1994 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Wagner, M. J., Bladon, K. D., Silins, U., Williams, C. H. S., Martens, A. M., Boon, S., MacDonald, R. J., Stone, M., Emelko, M. B., & Anderson, A. (2014) · Journal of Hydrology · doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2014.05.006 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Self-citationAudry, S., Akerman, A., Riotte, J., Oliva, P., Maréchal, J.-C., Fraysse, F., Pokrovsky, O. S., & Braun, J.-J. (2014) · Chemical Geology · doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2014.02.016 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
- Authors
- Bladon, K. D., Silins, U., Wagner, M. J., Stone, M., Emelko, M. B., Mendoza, C. A., Devito, K. J., & Boon, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Waterloo (CA)
- Venue
- Canadian Journal of Forest Research
- Publisher
- Canadian Science Publishing
- Published
- 2008-09
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 2359-2371
- ISSN
- 0045-5067 (ISSN-L)
- 1208-6037
- OpenAlex
- W2041387722
- Cited by
- 113
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 3.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Canadian Journal of Forest Research (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Keywords
- wildfire effects, nitrogen export, nitrate, dissolved organic nitrogen, ammonium, particulate nitrogen, headwater streams, post-fire recovery, river flow regime
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