Effects of prescribed fire on topsoil properties: a small-scale straw burning experiment

Abstract A grassland was burned to investigate how a short prescribed fire affected soil physical and hydraulic properties, water balance, emergent vegetation. Three years before the experiment at Řisuty, Czech Republic, re-established on arable soil. At experimental site there is weather station sensors measuring temperature moisture three different depths. The 5 m × plot compared nearby unburned reference location. loamy Cambisol not water-repellent. 250 2 of sun-dried grass raked plot. lasted approximately 15-minute reached 700 °C. Soil samples were taken immediately after weekly monthly thereafter quantify organic carbon content, structure stability, conductivity, bulk density, texture. According research results, it appears that temporary burning improved properties topsoil. plot’s infiltration capacity increased, content higher than control throughout year, providing suitable habitat for colonizing results suggest small-scale controlled biomass can be risk-free ecosystem may even temporarily improve upper layer.