Responses in Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Fractionation after Prescribed Burning in the Montseny Biosphere Reserve (NE Iberian Peninsula)

Prescribed fire is one of the most widely-used management tools to recover encroached rangelands. Fire has been reported cause changes in soil physical and chemical properties. However, legacy effects former plant species on responses remains unknown. The effect extant carbon (C) nitrogen (N) fractionation distribution after prescribed burning topsoil (0–5 cm 5–10 cm) was investigated Mediterranean shrublands Montseny. We sampled soils under five vegetation patch types: Cytisus scoparius L., Calluna vulgaris Erica arborea Pteridium aquilinum Cladonia biocrusts, pre- post-burning. Multivariate analysis C N fractions showed that legume biocrust were differentiated. Vegetation types tended respond differently burning, Cytisus, showing strongest response. Total N, sand decreased 0–5 layer. Conversely, silt, as well clay increased with depth burning. This study will be helpful for understanding ecological their possible consequences when planning