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Plant Soil (2013) 370:367380 DOI 10.1007/s11104-013-1640-1
REGULAR ARTICLE
Runoff and erosion from volcanic soils affected by fire: the case of Austrocedrus chilensis forests in Patagonia, Argentina
Daniela Morales & Csar Mario Rostagno &
Ludmila La Manna
Received: 1 October 2012 /Accepted: 7 February 2013 /Published online: 21 February 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
AbstractAims We characterized the runoff and erosion from a volcanic soil in an Austrocedrus chilensis forest affected by a wildfire, and we evaluated the effects of a mitigation treatment.
Methods Rainfall simulations were performed in the unburned and burned forest, with and without vegetation cover, and under a mitigation treatment.
Results After the wildfire, the mean infiltration rate decreased from 100 mmh1 in unburned soils to 51 and 64 mmh1 in the burned with and without litter and vegetation cover, respectively. The fast establishment of bryophytes accelerated the recovery of soil stability. Sediment production was negligible in the control plots (4.4 gm2); meanwhile in the burned plots, it was 118.7 gm2 and increased to 1026.1 g m2 in the burned and bare plots. Total C and N losses in the control plots were negligible, while in the
burned and bare plots the organic C and total N removed were 98.25 and 1.64 gm2, respectively. The effect of mitigation treatment was efficient in reducing the runoff, but it did not affect the sediment production.
Conclusions These fertile volcanic soils promoted the recovery of vegetation in a short time after the wild-fire, diminishing the risk of erosion.
Keywords Austrocedrus chilensis . Erosion . Mitigation . Volcanic soils . Wildfire
Introduction
Wildfires have been a serious problem in the Patagonian Andean region, causing significant environmental, social and economic impacts (Veblen et al. 1999; Kitzberger
Responsible Editor: David James Chittleborough.
L. La MannaCentro de Investigacin y Extensin Forestal Andino Patagnico (CIEFAP), Ruta 259 km 4 CC 14,9200 Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
D. Morales : L. La MannaUniversidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco (UNPSJB), 9200 Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
D. Morales : C. M. Rostagno : L. La MannaConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientficas y Tcnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
C. M. RostagnoCentro Nacional Patagnico (CENPAT), Bvard. Brown s/n 9120,Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
Present Address:D. Morales (*)
Centro de Investigacin y Extensin Forestal Andino Patagnico (CIEFAP),...