Effects of fire on nutrient concentrations and standing crops in biomass and soil of oak scrub vegetation

Conference · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Bull. Ecol. Soc. Am.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6071534

Schmalzer, P A; Hinkle, C R

In order to evaluate fire effects on nutrient partitioning, oak scrub vegetation stands of 2, 4, 8, and 25 years since the last fire were sampled and compared. Biomass was harvested on six 1 m/sup 2/ plots in each stand and soils were collected from the 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm layers. Biomass samples were analyzed for Ca, Mg, K, Na, Al, P, and TKN. Soil samples were analyzed for pH, conductivity, Ca, Mg, Na, K, NO/sub 3/-N, NH/sub 3/-N, Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, P, TKN, CEC, and organic matter. Results indicated that litter concentrations of Ca, K, and P were highest in the most recent burn. The most recently burned stand had higher pH but lower conductivity, organic matter, TKN, NH/sub 3/-N, and Zn in the 0-15 cm soil layer. Biomass pools of P, Ca, K, and Na exceeded those in soil (0-30 cm) for all stands. Results support the thesis that nutrient capital of oak scrub vegetation is partitioned in the living and dead biomass rather than the soil.

• Research Organization: The Bionetics Corp. and The Biomedical Operations and Research Office, NASA, Kennedy Space Center, FL (US)
• OSTI ID: 6071534
• Report Number(s): CONF-870835-
• Journal Information: Bull. Ecol. Soc. Am.; (United States), Vol. 68:3; Conference: 72. annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Columbus, OH, USA, 9 Aug 1987
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FORESTS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
OAKS
PLANT GROWTH
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CROPS
DAMAGE
ELEMENTS
FIRES
MINERALS
NUTRIENTS
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
REVEGETATION
CHEMISTRY
GROWTH
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAGNOLIOPSIDA
PLANTS
TREES
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553000 - Agriculture & Food Technology
510100 - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (-1989)