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October 21, 2025
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A Burning Intensity Gradient Modifies Sensitive Soil Properties Depending on Sampled Soil Depth and the Time Since Fire

Publicated to:Fire. 8 (9): 351- - 2025-09-03 8(9), DOI: 10.3390/fire8090351

Authors: Escuer-Arregui, Marta; Alfaro-Leranoz, Andoni; Badía-Villas, David; Conte-Domínguez, Ana P.; Martí-Dalmau, Clara; Ortiz-Perpiñá, Oriol

Affiliations

Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural Escuela Politécnica Superior, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales (IUCA-GEOFOREST), Universidad de Zaragoza, 22071 Huesca, Spain - Author

Abstract

The effects of wildfires and prescribed burnings on soil are highly variable. In order to evaluate the effects of different burning intensities on soil properties, a surface-controlled burn of undisturbed soil monoliths was carried out by combining temperatures (50 and 80 °C) and residence times (12 and 24 min). The effects of this burning gradient are evaluated at two soil depths (0–1 and 1–3 cm), with time (just after burning or immediate effects, T0, and five months later, T5), as well as the influence of ash (presence or absence). The results indicate that most soil properties were affected by the burning gradient applied only in the most superficial cm (0–1 cm), with few effects at greater depths. The most intense burn had the strongest immediate impact, reducing soil organic carbon, recalcitrant organic carbon, and microbial biomass carbon, as well as increasing the labile organic carbon and the microbial activity. On the other hand, this burning caused a strong decrease in soil water repellency at a 0–1 cm depth and increased it at 1–3 cm. In contrast, medium-intensity burning caused the opposite effect, increasing water repellency at the soil surface and reducing it at 1–3 cm. As a result of the mineralization of organic matter, the EC and pH increased significantly in all burning combinations and both soil depths studied. After five months (T5), several of these parameters tended to approach the values of unburned soil.

Keywords

Análisis del sueloHidrofobicidadManejo de los incendios forestalesMateria orgánica del suelo

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Fire due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position 20/92, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Forestry.

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-11-02:

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 0.5.

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is: