Impact of fire on chemical characteristics of
the soil in the Dalmatia
Ivica Kisić; Igor Bogunović; Aleksandra Jurišić
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014
Wildfires in Dalmatia
Dalmatian region under biggest risk from fires
Great socio-economic changes lead to increased number of fires
Croatia (1998-2008): 29100 (31.7%) fires were recorded in Dalmatia
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014
Objective
Evaluate effect of wildfire in Mediterranean flora in comparison to TC, TN, TS, K and P, and C/N, N/S ratios.
Hypothesize chemical soil parameters in Dalmatian natural flora will vary substantially, and disturbance will lead to marked changes.
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014
Materials and methods Location: island Korcula and Peljesac peninsula
(43°02'-42°45' N, 16°37'-17°46' E)
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014
Materials and methods - climatic characteristics
Mediterranean climate long, dry and hot summers; winters are mild and humid.
Average annual temp 11.2 0C, min in January 9.8 0C, max in July 26.9 0C.
Average annual rainfall 1300 mm
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014
Materials and methods - flora:
coniferous trees:
Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis),
pines (Pinus pinea), Dalmatian black pine (Pinus
nigra), cypress (Cypressus sp.) Maki, Holm oak (Ilex querxus),
and also grows Carob and Laurel.
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014
Materials and methods – analysis
Samples in layer 0-5 cm with similar aspect, slope, elevation and vegetation characteristics
pH electrometric method in KCl suspension
TN dry combustion method
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014
Materials and methods
TC after dry combustion
TS by dry combustion
P2O5 and K2O extracted by AL solution and detected by spectrophotometric and flame photometric
Data observed by ANOVA (Fishers LSD test at P≤ 0.05)
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014
Results
Soil pH; Soil layer 0-5 cm
a
aa
a 7,27
b
bb
b
6,62
4,00
5,00
6,00
7,00
8,00
Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average
pH
Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014
Results
Soil Avaiable P2O5; Soil layer 0-5 cm
210
a
a
a
a
26b
b b b
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average
mg
kg
-1 s
oil
Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014
Results
Soil Avaiable K2O; Soil layer 0-5 cm
aaa
a
737
b
b
b
b
425
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average
mg
kg
-1 s
oil
Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014
Results
Total Nitrogen (TN); Soil layer 0-5 cm
0,553
a
a
b
a
0,371
b
aa
b
0,000
0,100
0,200
0,300
0,400
0,500
0,600
0,700
0,800
0,900
1,000
Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average
%
Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014
Results
Total Carbon (TC); Soil layer 0-5 cm
a
b
b a10,19
ba
a
b
9,21
0,00
2,00
4,00
6,00
8,00
10,00
12,00
14,00
16,00
18,00
Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average
%
Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014
Results
Total Sulfur (TS); Soil layer 0-5 cm
0,076ba
a
a
0,074
b
aa
a
0,020
0,030
0,040
0,050
0,060
0,070
0,080
0,090
0,100
0,110
0,120
Smokvica 2011 Blato 2012 Panjika 2012 Ponikve 2011 Average
%
Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014
Results
C/N and N/S ratio; Soil layer 0-5 cm
20,2 20,4
11,8
23,6
19,0
5,5 4,5
9,9 8,7 7,2
23,820,2
12,0
87,3
35,8
5,2 5,2 5,2 3,9 4,9
0,0
15,0
30,0
45,0
60,0
75,0
90,0
Smokvica2011
Blato2012
Panjika2012
Ponikve2011
Average Smokvica2011
Blato2012
Panjika2012
Ponikve2011
Average
C/N N/S
Burned ControlBihać, 28. 04. 2014
Conclusions
Difference in terms of soil properties beetween burned and control areas
Burned soil samples recorded higher values of pH, P, K, TN and TC.
TS values are approximately equal
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014
Conclusions
Burned samples in average contain more favorable C/N and wider N/S ratio
Caution low number of samples different vegetation type and cover erosion signs require more research
Bihać, 28. 04. 2014