Short-term impact of prescribed fire on soil pH, organic matter and hydrophobicity in a Calluna vulgaris heathland located in Lithuania. First results

Abstract

The aim of this work is study the short-term effects of a prescribed fire used for landscape management on soil pH, organic matter (SOM) and soil water repellency in different size fractions (2-1, 1-0.5, 0.5-0.25 and <0.25 mm) in a Calluna vulgaris heathland (After the fire and 4 months after the fire). We selected two different plots affected by different fire severities in order to observe if different prescribed fire severities could have different impacts on the studied soil properties (The severity in plot I was higher than in the plot II). The results showed that independently of the severity, the prescribed fire did not have in the period immediately after the fire did not changed significantly in both plots pH and SOM%. In soil water repellency, no significant differences were observed between control and burned plots. Significant differences were only observed in the burned plot I. Studies are ongoing to identify there will be changes with the time.