Impact of wildfires on surface water repellency in soils of northwest Spain

Soil water repellency (hydrophobicity) is a naturally occurring phenomenon that can be intensified by soil heating during fires. Fire‐induced water repellency, together with the loss of plant cover, is reportedly the principal source of increased surface runoff and accelerated erosion in burned soils. In this study, the surface water repellency of several soils affected by summer forest fires in northwest Spain was studied and compared with that of adjacent unburned soils. Soil water repellency was determined using the ethanol percentage test (MED). Most of the unburned soil samples exhibited water repellency that ranged from strong to very strong; only four of the unburned soil samples were non‐repellent. Water repellency in the unburned soils was significantly correlated with the organic carbon content (r = 0·64, p < 0·05). Overall, fires increased the surface water repellency in soils with previously low degrees of water repellency and caused little change in that of originally strongly hydrophobic soils. In order to examine in detail the changes in water repellency with temperature, three unburned soil samples were subjected to a controlled heating program. Water repellency increased between 25 and 220 °C, water repellency peaked between 220 and 240 °C and disappeared above 260–280 °C. Extrapolation of the results of the heating tests to field conditions suggested that the intensity of fire (temperature and time of residence) reached by most soils during fires is not too high. Based on the results, the determination of water repellency could be used as a simple test for the indirect estimation of the intensity levels reached on the soil surface during a fire. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of soil‐hydraulic properties and infiltration timescales in wildfire‐affected soils

We collected soil‐hydraulic property data from the literature for wildfire‐affected soils, ash, and unburned soils. These data were used to calculate metrics and timescales of hydrologic response related to infiltration and surface runoff generation. Sorptivity (S) and wetting front potential (Ψ_f) were significantly different (lower) in burned soils compared with unburned soils, whereas field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_fs) was not significantly different. The magnitude and duration of the influence of capillarity during infiltration was greatly reduced in burned soils, causing faster ponding times in response to rainfall. Ash had large values of S and K_fs but moderate values of Ψ_f, compared with unburned and burned soils, indicating ash has long ponding times in response to rainfall. The ratio of S²/K_fs was nearly constant (~100 mm) for unburned soils but more variable in burned soils, suggesting that unburned soils have a balance between gravity and capillarity contributions to infiltration that may depend on soil organic matter, whereas in burned soils the gravity contribution to infiltration is greater. Changes in S and K_fs in burned soils act synergistically to reduce infiltration and accelerate and amplify surface runoff generation. Synthesis of these findings identifies three key areas for future research. First, short timescales of capillary influences on infiltration indicate the need for better measurements of infiltration at times less than 1 min to accurately characterize S in burned soils. Second, using parameter values, such as Ψ_f, from unburned areas could produce substantial errors in hydrologic modeling when used without adjustment for wildfire effects, causing parameter compensation and resulting underestimation of K_fs. Third, more thorough measurement campaigns that capture soil‐structural changes, organic matter impacts, quantitative water repellency trends, and soil‐water content along with soil‐hydraulic properties could drive the development of better techniques for numerically simulating infiltration in burned areas.     

Does fire alter soil water repellency in subtropical coastal sandy environments?

Irregular wetting, water repellency, and preferential flow are well‐documented properties of coastal sandy podzols, though little is known about the effect of fire on unsaturated zone processes in this environment. This study investigates water repellency at and below the soil surface in two coastal sandy podzols following bushfire. Water drop penetration time tests were applied to burned and unburned soils at a high dune field site in South East Queensland, Australia. It was found that the mean water drop penetration time of the burned soil was four times that of the unburned soil, but both soils were largely non‐repellent. Post‐fire repellency peaked below the surface in a patchy layer, in contrast to the laterally extensive layer reported in other studies, and high organic matter content in the soil did not appear to significantly influence repellency post‐burn. Non‐parametric statistics were used to quantify the high spatial variability in water repellency, which was ultimately insufficiently captured by atypically large (n = 1000 drop) datasets. This study confirms the presence of naturally occurring repellency and patchy infiltration in sandy soils while demonstrating that conclusively describing the influence of fire is challenging in a soil with heterogeneous infiltration characteristics. With respect to this uncertainty, it appears that fire does not increase soil water repellency such that infiltration and runoff processes due to fire‐induced water repellency would differ post‐burn.     

Impacts of successive wildfire on soil hydraulic properties: Implications for debris flow hazards and system resilience

Climate and land use changes have led to recent increases in fire size, severity, and/or frequency in many different geographic regions and ecozones. Most post-wildfire geomorphology studies focus on the impact of a single wildfire but changing wildfire regimes underscore the need to quantify the effects of repeated disturbance by wildfire and the subsequent impacts on system resilience. Here, we examine the impact of two successive wildfires on soil hydraulic properties and debris flow hazards. The 2004 Nuttall-Gibson Complex and the 2017 Frye Fire affected large portions of the Pinaleño Mountains in southern Arizona, creating a mosaic of burn severity patterns that allowed us to quantify differences in wildfire-induced hydrologic changes as a function of burn severity and recent fire history (i.e. burned in only the Frye Fire or burned in both fires). Field observations after the 2017 Frye Fire indicated debris flow activity in areas burned predominantly at low severity. Many of these areas, however, were also affected by the 2004 Nuttall-Gibson Complex, suggesting that the relatively short recovery time between the two wildfires may have played a role in the geomorphic response to the most recent wildfire. Field measurements of soil hydraulic properties suggest that soils burned at moderate severity in 2004 and low severity in 2017 have a lower infiltration capacity relative to those that remained unburned in 2004 and burned at low severity in 2017. Simulations of runoff demonstrate that measured differences in infiltration capacity between once- and twice-burned soils are sufficient in some cases to influence the rainfall intensities needed to initiate runoff generated debris flows. Results quantify the impact of wildfire history and burn severity on runoff and debris flow activity in a landscape affected by successive wildfires and provide insight into how the resilience of geomorphic systems may be affected by successive wildfires. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Watershed-scale vegetation,water quantity,and water quality responses to wildfire in the southern Appalachian mountain region,United States

Wildfires are landscape scale disturbances that can significantly affect hydrologic processes such as runoff generation and sediment and nutrient transport to streams. In Fall 2016, multiple large drought-related wildfires burned forests across the southern Appalachian Mountains. Immediately after the fires, we identified and instrumented eight 28.4–344 ha watersheds (four burned and four unburned) to measure vegetation, soil, water quantity, and water quality responses over the following two years. Within burned watersheds, plots varied in burn severity with up to 100% tree mortality and soil O-horizon loss. Watershed scale high burn severity extent ranged from 5% to 65% of total watershed area. Water quantity and quality responses among burned watersheds were closely related to the high burn severity extent. Total water yield (Q) was up to 39% greater in burned watersheds than unburned reference watersheds. Total suspended solids (TSS) concentration during storm events were up to 168 times greater in samples collected from the most severely burned watershed than from a corresponding unburned reference watershed, suggesting that there was elevated risk of localized erosion and sedimentation of streams. NO₃-N concentration, export, and concentration dependence on streamflow were greater in burned watersheds and increased with increasing high burn severity extent. Mean NO₃-N concentration in the most severely burned watershed increased from 0.087 mg L⁻¹ in the first year to 0.363 mg L⁻¹ (+317%) in the second year. These results suggest that the 2016 wildfires degraded forest condition, increased Q, and had negative effects on water quality particularly during storm events.     

Infiltration,runoff and soil loss in Andisols affected by forest fire (Canary Islands,Spain)

Depending on the severity of the fire, forest fires may modify infiltration and soil erosion processes. Rainfall simulations were used to determine the hydrological effects of fire on Andisols in a pine forest burned by a wildfire in 2007. Six burned zones with different fire severities were compared with unburned zones. Infiltration, runoff and soil loss were analysed on slopes of 10% and 30%. Forest floor and soil properties were evaluated. Unburned zones exhibited relatively low infiltration (23 and 16 mm h^?1 on 10% and 30% slope angles, respectively) and high average runoff/rainfall ratios (43% and 50% on 10% and 30% slope angles, respectively), which were associated with the extreme water repellency of the forest floor. Nonetheless, this layer seems to provide protection against raindrop impact and soil losses were found to be low (8 and 16 g m^?2 h^?1 for 10% and 30% slope angles, respectively). Soil cover, soil structure and water repellency were the main properties affected by the fire. The fire reduced forest floor and soil repellency, allowing rapid infiltration. Moreover, a significant decrease was noted in soil aggregate stabilities in the burned zones, which limited the infiltration rates. Consequently, no significant differences in infiltration and runoff were found between the burned and the unburned zones. The decrease in post‐fire soil cover and soil stability resulted in order‐of‐magnitude increases in erosion. Sediment rates were 15 and 31 g m^?2 h^?1 on the 10% and 30% slope angles, respectively, in zones affected by light fire severity. In the moderate fire severity zones, these values reached 65 and 260 g m^?2 h^?1 for the 10% and 30% slope angles, respectively. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Asymmetric hillslope erosion following wildfire in Fourmile Canyon,Colorado

Infrequent, high‐magnitude events cause a disproportionate amount of sediment transport on steep hillslopes, but few quantitative data are available that capture these processes. Here we study the influence of wildfire and hillslope aspect on soil erosion in Fourmile Canyon, Colorado. This region experienced the Fourmile Fire of 2010, strong summer convective storms in 2011 and 2012, and extreme flooding in September 2013. We sampled soils shortly after these events and use fallout radionuclides to trace erosion on polar‐ and equatorial‐facing burned slopes and on a polar‐facing unburned slope. Because these radionuclides are concentrated in the upper decimeter of soil, soil inventories are sensitive to erosion by surface runoff. The polar‐facing burned slope had significantly lower cesium‐137 (¹³⁷Cs) and lead‐210 (²¹⁰Pb) inventories (p < 0.05) than either the polar‐facing unburned slope or equatorial‐facing burned slope. Local slope magnitude does not appear to control the erosional response to wildfire, as relatively gently sloping (~20%) polar‐facing positions were severely eroded in the most intensively burned area. Field evidence and soil profile analyses indicate up to 4 cm of local soil erosion on the polar‐facing burned slope, but radionuclide mass balance indicates that much of this was trapped nearby. Using a ¹³⁷Cs‐based erosion model, we find that the burned polar‐facing slope had a net mean sediment loss of 2 mm (~1 kg m^?2) over a one to three year period, which is one to two orders of magnitude higher than longer‐term erosion rates reported for this region. In this part of the Colorado Front Range, strong hillslope asymmetry controls soil moisture and vegetation; polar‐facing slopes support significantly denser pine and fir stands, which fuels more intense wildfires. We conclude that polar‐facing slopes experience the most severe surface erosion following wildfires in this region, indicating that landscape‐scale aridity can control the geomorphic response of hillslopes to wildfires. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of soil water-repellent layer depth on post-wildfire hydrological processes

Soil water repellency induced by wildfires can alter hydraulic properties and hydrologic processes; however, the persistence and vertical position (i.e., depth) of water-repellent layers can vary between systems and fires, with limited understanding of how those variations affect infiltration processes. This study occurred in two forested locations in the south-central Appalachian Mountains that experienced wildfires in late 2016: Mount Pleasant Wildfire Refuge, Virginia, and Chimney Rock State Park, North Carolina. In each location, sites were selected to represent unburned conditions and low to moderate burn intensities. At each site, we measured the soil water repellency at the surface (ash layer or O horizon) and ~2 cm below the surface (A horizon) using the water drop penetration time method (n = 10–14). Soil water content was also measured over the upper 10 cm of the soil (n = 10), and infiltration tests were conducted using a tension infiltrometer (n = 6–8). The results showed that soil repellency was highest in the surface layer at the Mount Pleasant location and was highest in the subsurface layer at the Chimney Rock location. Soil water content was lower in unburned soil than in burned soil, especially for measurements taken immediately postfire, with soil water content negatively correlated with water repellency. Water repellency in the surface layer significantly reduced relative infiltration rates (estimated as differences between initial and steady-state rates), whereas subsurface water repellency did not affect relative infiltration. As a result, water repellency persisted longer in sites with surface as opposed to subsurface water repellency. Finally, differences between burned and unburned sites showed that although the wildfires increased the occurrence of water repellency, they did not alter the underlying relationship between relative infiltration and water repellency of the surface soil.     

Effectiveness of post-fire salvage logging stream buffer management for hillslope erosion in the U.S. Inland Northwest Mountains

Active wildfire seasons in the western U.S. warrant the evaluation of post-fire forest management strategies. Ground-based salvage logging is often used to recover economic loss of burned timber. In unburned forests, ground-based logging often follows best management practices by leaving undisturbed areas near streams called stream buffers. However, the effectiveness of these buffers has not been tested in a post-wildfire setting. This experiment tested buffer width effectiveness with a novel field-simulated rill experiment using sediment-laden runoff (25 g/L) released over 40 min at evenly timed flow rates (50, 100 and 150 L/min) to measure surface runoff travel length and sediment concentration under unburned and high and low soil burn severity conditions at 2-, 10- and 22-month post-fire. High severity areas 2-month post-fire had rill lengths of up to 100 m. Rill length significantly decreased over time as vegetation regrowth provided ground cover. Sediment concentration and sediment dropout rate also varied significantly by soil burn severity. Sediment concentrations were 19 g/L for the highest flow 2-month post-fire and reduced to 6.9–14 g/L 10-month post-fire due to abundant vegetation recovery. The amount of sediment dropping out of the flow consistently increased over the study period with the low burn severity rate of 1.15 g L⁻¹ m⁻¹ approaching the unburned rate of 1.29 g L⁻¹ m⁻¹ by 2-year post-fire. These results suggest that an often-used standard, 15 m buffer, was sufficient to contain surface runoff and reduce sediment concentration on unburned sites, however buffers on high burn severity sites need to be eight times greater (120 m) immediately after wildfire and four times greater (60 m) 1-year post-fire. Low burn severity areas 1-year post-fire may need to be only twice the width of an unburned buffer (30 m), and 2-year post-fire these could return to unburned widths.     

Parameter estimation for multiple post-wildfire hydrologic models

Predictions of post-wildfire flooding and debris flows are needed, typically with short lead times. Measurements of soil-hydraulic properties necessary for model parameterization are, however, seldom available. This study quantified soil-hydraulic properties, soil-water retention, and selected soil physical properties within the perimeter of the 2017 Thomas Fire in California. The Thomas Fire burn scar produced catastrophic debris flows in January 2018, highlighting the need for improved prediction capability. Soil-hydraulic properties were also indirectly estimated using relations tied to soil-water retention. These measurements and estimates are examined in the context of parameterizing post-wildfire hydrologic models. Tension infiltrometer measurements showed significant decreases (p < .05) in field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_fs) and sorptivity (S) in burned areas relative to unburned areas. Wildfire effects on soil water-retention were dominated by significant decreases in saturated soil-water content (θ_S). The van Genuchten parameters α, N, and residual water content did not show significant wildfire effects. The impacts of the wildfire on hydraulic and physical soil properties were greatest in the top 1 cm, emphasizing that measurements of post-fire soil properties should focus on the near-surface. Reductions in K_fs, θ_s, and soil-water retention in burned soils were attributed to fire-induced decreases in soil structure evidenced by increases in dry bulk density. Sorptivity reductions in burned soils were attributed to increases in soil-water repellency. Rapid post-fire assessments of flash flood and debris flow hazards using physically-based hydrologic models are facilitated by similarities between K_fs, S, and the Green–Ampt wetting front potential (ψ_f) with measurements at other southern CA burned sites. We suggest that ratios of burned to unburned K_fs (0.37), S (0.36), and ψ_f (0.66) could be used to scale unburned values for model parameterization. Alternatively, typical burned values (K_fs = 20 mm hr⁻¹; S = 6 mm hr^−0.5; ψ_f = 1.6 mm) could be used for model parameterization.     

Initial impacts of a wildfire on hydrology and suspended sediment and nutrient export in California chaparral watersheds

Stream and rainfall gauging and runoff sampling were used to determine changes in hydrology and export of nutrients and suspended sediment from a June 2004 wildfire that burned 3010 ha in chaparral coastal watersheds of the Santa Ynez Mountains, California. Precipitation during water year 2005 exceeded average precipitation by 200–260%. Burned watersheds had order of magnitude higher peak discharge compared with unburned watersheds but similar annual runoff. Suspended sediment export of 181 mt ha^?1 from a burned watershed was approximately ten times greater than from unburned watersheds. Ammonium export from burned watersheds largely occurred during the first three storms and was 32 times greater than from unburned watersheds. Nitrate, dissolved organic nitrogen, and phosphate export from burned watersheds increased by 5.5, 2.8, and 2.2 times, respectively, compared with unburned chaparral watersheds. Storm runoff and peak discharge increase in burned compared with unburned sites were greatest during early season storms when enhanced runoff occurred. As the winter progressed, closely spaced storms and above average precipitation reduced the fire‐related impacts that resulted in significant increases in annual post‐fire runoff and export in other studies in southern California chaparral. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fire effects on rangeland hydrology and erosion in a steep sagebrush‐dominated landscape

Post‐fire runoff and erosion from wildlands has been well researched, but few studies have researched the degree of control exerted by fire on rangeland hydrology and erosion processes. Furthermore, the spatial continuity and temporal persistence of wildfire impacts on rangeland hydrology and erosion are not well understood. Small‐plot rainfall and concentrated flow simulations were applied to unburned and severely burned hillslopes to determine the spatial continuity and persistence of fire‐induced impacts on runoff and erosion by interrill and rill processes on steep sagebrush‐dominated sites. Runoff and erosion were measured immediately following and each of 3 years post‐wildfire. Spatial and temporal variability in post‐fire hydrologic and erosional responses were compared with runoff and erosion measured under unburned conditions. Results from interrill simulations indicate fire‐induced impacts were predominantly on coppice microsites and that fire influenced interrill sediment yield more than runoff. Interrill runoff was nearly unchanged by burning, but 3‐year cumulative interrill sediment yield on burned hillslopes (50 g m^?2) was twice that of unburned hillslopes (25 g m^?2). The greatest impact of fire was on the dynamics of runoff once overland flow began. Reduced ground cover on burned hillslopes allowed overland flow to concentrate into rills. The 3‐year cumulative runoff from concentrated flow simulations on burned hillslopes (298 l) was nearly 20 times that measured on unburned hillslopes (16 l). The 3‐year cumulative sediment yield from concentrated flow on burned and unburned hillslopes was 20 400 g m^?2 and 6 g m^?2 respectively. Fire effects on runoff generation and sediment were greatly reduced, but remained, 3 years post‐fire. The results indicate that the impacts of fire on runoff and erosion from severely burned steep sagebrush landscapes vary significantly by microsite and process, exhibiting seasonal fluctuation in degree, and that fire‐induced increases in runoff and erosion may require more than 3 years to return to background levels. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of fire on the surface properties and seed germination in two shallow monoliths from a rangeland soil subjected to simulated raindrop impact and water erosion

This paper describes the methods used and some preliminary results of simulated erosion studies on soils with cryptogamic crusts from a semiarid rangeland environment. Two 0·3 m² shallow monoliths were collected from the upper 20 cm of a Typic Haplargid from the semiarid Australian rangelands and subjected to a range of rainfall intensities and durations representing potentially erosive summer and winter rainfall events. One of the monoliths was cleared of vegetation by a simulated low intensity bushfire. Macro- and micromorphological properties of the surface, as well as runoff and erosion losses, were measured during the experiment. Runoff and erosion losses were, as expected, greater for all conditions on the burned than on the unburned monolith. Intensive rainfall damaged the cryptogamic crust unprotected by vegetation by widening and deepening desiccation cracks around the cryptogams, and breaking away and dispersing larger soil fragments from the crack margins. The burned and eroded surfaces provided a much poorer environment for seed entrapment, germination, and growth than did the unburned surface.     

Application of 210Pbex inventories to measure net hillslope erosion at burned sites

Fallout radionuclides, including lead‐210 excess (²¹⁰Pb_ex), have been broadly and successfully used to quantify net hillslope sediment transport in agricultural, pastoral and forested landscapes but have only recently been applied in burned terrain. Quantifying post‐fire erosion is important because fires can amplify hillslope erosion, impacting terrestrial and aquatic habitat and water quality. However, we lack a basic understanding of the fate of ²¹⁰Pb_ex in fires. To address this knowledge gap, we collected over 400 soil samples from unburned, moderately and severely burned forested sites in central Idaho. We measured soil ²¹⁰Pb_ex content at stable reference and eroding sites and in mineral and organic soil components. At all sites, organic matter had the highest concentration of ²¹⁰Pb_ex, representing 30% to 73% of the total activity. At the severely and moderately burned sites, ²¹⁰Pb_ex reference inventories were lower by 58% and 41%, with about 40% less organic mass, relative to the unburned site. These results indicate that most ²¹⁰Pb_ex in our semi‐arid, forested sites was bound to organic matter, and that a substantial portion of this lead was lost due to forest fires. These losses likely occurred through volatilization and wind transport of smoke and ash. In the moderately burned site, ²¹⁰Pb_ex losses were more spatially variable, potentially due to spatially uneven fire intensity and effects. Despite equal percent losses of ²¹⁰Pb_ex, lower inventories at the burned sites produced lower calculated net erosion rates relative to the unburned site. Thus, given methodological uncertainties, ²¹⁰Pb_ex losses due to fire, and the subsequent sensitivity of calculated net erosion rates to these lower ²¹⁰Pb_ex inventories, we suggest this method should not be used in burned terrain to calculate absolute net erosion and deposition rates. However, within a given burned site, ²¹⁰Pb_ex inventories still provide useful information describing relative soil losses and storage across the landscape. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of physical soil crusts on infiltration and splash erosion in three typical Chinese soils

Physical soil crusts likely have significant effects on infiltration and soil erosion, however, little is known on whether the effects of the crusts change during a rainfall event. Further, there is a lack of discussions on the differences among the crusting effects of different soil types. The objectives of this study are as follows： （i） to study the effects of soil crusts on infiltration, runoff, and splash erosion using three typical soils in China, （ii） to distinguish the different effects on hydrology and erosion of the three soils and discuss the primary reasons for these differences, and （iii） to understand the variations in real soil shear strength of the three soils during rainfall events and mathematically model the effects of the crusts on soil erosion. This study showed that the soil crusts delayed the onset of infiltration by 5 to 15 min and reduced the total amount of infiltration by 42.9 to 53.4% during rainfall events. For a purple soil and a loess soil, the initial crust increased the runoff by 2.8% and 3.4%, respectively, and reduced the splash erosion by 3.1% and 8.9%, respectively. For a black soil, the soil crust increased the runoff by 42.9% and unexpectedly increased the splash erosion by 95.2%. In general, the effects of crusts on the purple and loess soils were similar and negligible, but the effects were significant for the black soil. The soil shear strength decreased dynamically and gradually during the rainfall events, and the values of crusted soils were higher than those of incrusted soils, especially during the early stage of the rainfall. Mathematical models were developed to describe the effects of soil crusts on the splash erosion for the three soils as follows： purple soil, Fc= 0.002t- 0.384 ; black soil, Fc. =-0.022t ＋ 3.060 ; and loess soil, Fc = 0.233 In t- 1.239 . Combined with the equation Rc= Fc （Ruc - 1）, the splash erosion of the crusted soil can be predicted over time.     

Infiltration and runoff generation processes in fire‐affected soils

Post‐wildfire runoff was investigated by combining field measurements and modelling of infiltration into fire‐affected soils to predict time‐to‐start of runoff and peak runoff rate at the plot scale (1 m²). Time series of soil‐water content, rainfall and runoff were measured on a hillslope burned by the 2010 Fourmile Canyon Fire west of Boulder, Colorado during cyclonic and convective rainstorms in the spring and summer of 2011. Some of the field measurements and measured soil physical properties were used to calibrate a one‐dimensional post‐wildfire numerical model, which was then used as a ‘virtual instrument’ to provide estimates of the saturated hydraulic conductivity and high‐resolution (1 mm) estimates of the soil‐water profile and water fluxes within the unsaturated zone. Field and model estimates of the wetting‐front depth indicated that post‐wildfire infiltration was on average confined to shallow depths less than 30 mm. Model estimates of the effective saturated hydraulic conductivity, K_s, near the soil surface ranged from 0.1 to 5.2 mm h^?1. Because of the relatively small values of K_s, the time‐to‐start of runoff (measured from the start of rainfall), t_p, was found to depend only on the initial soil‐water saturation deficit (predicted by the model) and a measured characteristic of the rainfall profile (referred to as the average rainfall acceleration, equal to the initial rate of change in rainfall intensity). An analytical model was developed from the combined results and explained 92–97% of the variance of t_p, and the numerical infiltration model explained 74–91% of the variance of the peak runoff rates. These results are from one burned site, but they strongly suggest that t_p in fire‐affected soils (which often have low values of K_s) is probably controlled more by the storm profile and the initial soil‐water saturation deficit than by soil hydraulic properties. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Connectivity of post-fire runoff and sediment from nested hillslopes and watersheds

Wildfire increases the potential connectivity of runoff and sediment throughout watersheds due to greater bare soil, runoff and erosion as compared to pre-fire conditions. This research examines the connectivity of post-fire runoff and sediment from hillslopes (< 1.5 ha; n = 31) and catchments (< 1000 ha; n = 10) within two watersheds (< 1500 ha) burned by the 2012 High Park Fire in northcentral Colorado, USA. Our objectives were to: (1) identify sources and quantify magnitudes of post-fire runoff and erosion at nested hillslopes and watersheds for two rain storms with varied duration, intensity and antecedent precipitation; and (2) assess the factors affecting the magnitude and connectivity of runoff and sediment across spatial scales for these two rain storms. The two summer storms that are the focus of this research occurred during the third summer after burning. The first storm had low intensity rainfall over 11 hours (return interval <1–2 years), whereas the second event had high intensity rainfall over 1 hour (return interval <1–10 years). The lower intensity storm was preceded by high antecedent rainfall and led to low hillslope sediment yields and channel incision at most locations, whereas the high intensity storm led to infiltration-excess overland flow, high sediment yields, in-stream sediment deposition and channel substrate fining. For both storms, hillslope-to-stream sediment delivery ratios and area-normalised cross-sectional channel change increased with the percent of catchment that burned at high severity. For the high intensity storm, hillslope-to-stream sediment delivery ratios decreased with unconfined channel length (%). The findings quantify post-fire connectivity and sediment delivery from hillslopes and streams, and highlight how different types of storms can cause varying magnitues and spatial patterns of sediment transport and deposition from hillslopes through stream channel networks.     

洞庭湖湿地3种典型植物群落土壤酶活性特征

调查了洞庭湖湿地典型植物群落(短尖苔草(Carex brevicuspis)、南荻(Triarrhena sacchariflora)、辣蓼(Polygonumhy dropiper))洪水期前后(5、10月)两次表层土壤酶活性及土壤养分性状.结果表明:3种典型群落之间具有明显的土壤养分性状及土壤酶活差异.辣蓼群落具有相对较高的土壤有机质、全氮、全磷、速效磷含量,短尖苔草群落次之,而南荻群落的土壤养分含量最低.3种典型植物群落的土壤有机质、全氮、全磷含量均表现为5月高于10月,土壤速效磷、速效钾洪水期前后无显著差异.辣蓼群落的蔗糖酶活性明显高于其他2个群落;3个群落脲酶活性均表现为10月高于5月,南荻、辣蓼群落有显著差异.磷酸酶以南荻群落最高,短尖苔草群落5月显著高于10月,南荻群落则10月显著高于5月;短尖苔草、南荻群落过氧化氢酶活性显著高于辣蓼群落,短尖苔草群落5月与10月间有显著差异,其余2个群落无显著差异.相关分析表明:脲酶活性与土壤养分含量关系不密切;蔗糖酶活性与土壤有机质、全磷、全氮及速效磷素含量均呈显著正相关.总体上,洞庭湖典型湿地植物群落显示了较为明显的土壤理化状况以及土壤酶活差异;同时也显示了季节性差异.相对而言,辣蓼群落土壤具有较快的物质循环与转化代谢速率,对于氮、磷等污染物具有较高的转化作用,而短尖苔草、南荻群落低于辣蓼群落,这可能与二者较低的土壤有机质以及氮磷养分积累有关.     

Spatial and temporal changes in aeolian redistribution of sediments and nutrients following fire

Wildfires can profoundly alter rates, magnitudes, and ecological influences of aeolian redistribution of sediments and nutrients. This study examines the influence of fire in a semi-arid ecosystem using 2 years of continuous passive dust trap data in the northern Great Basin, USA. We analyse the mass flux, organic material content, grain size distribution, and geochemistry of the collected samples to trace the fingerprint of the 2015 Soda Fire through space and time. In areas not affected by fire, dust is characterized by silt-sized median grains, a geochemical signature consistent with a playa source area, and spatially consistent but seasonally variable dust flux rates. Following fire, dust flux increases significantly within and near the burned area. At burned and topographically sheltered sites, dust deposition in the eighth month following fire was 190% higher than dust deposition 2 years post-revegetation. Topographically exposed sites recorded only modest increases in dust deposition following fire. Analysis of organic matter indicates all dust samples (both burned and unburned) contained an average of 45% organic matter compared to a watershed average of 1.6% organic matter in soils. Geochemical and seasonal dust deposition data from 12 dust traps at a range of elevations indicate that with the removal of stabilizing vegetation after wildfire, differences in topographic position and wind direction lead to preferential redistribution of material across a burned landscape over hillslope scales (0–10 km). We posit post-fire aeolian redistribution of locally derived material to topographically controlled positions is an important control on the spatial variability of soil depth and characteristics in drylands with complex topography. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying long-term post-fire sediment delivery and erosion mitigation effectiveness

Large wildfires can have profound and lasting impacts not only from direct consumption of vegetation but also longer-term effects such as persistent soil erosion. The 2002 Hayman Fire burned in one of the watersheds supplying water to the Denver metropolitan area; thus there was concern regarding hillslope erosion and sedimentation in the reservoirs. The efficacy of various treatments for reducing erosion was tested, including hand scarification on contour, agricultural straw mulch, wood mulch, burned controls and unburned reference plots. Simulated rill erosion experiments were used both immediately after the fire and again 10 years post fire. To better understand untreated recovery, the same experiments were applied to control plots in post-fire years 1, 2, 3 and 4, and in unburned reference plots in years 4 and 10. Results indicate that control and scarified plots produced significantly greater sediment flux rates – 1.9 and 2.8 g s⁻¹ respectively – than the straw and wood mulch treatments – 0.9 and 1.1 g s⁻¹ – immediately after the fire. Mulch treatments reduced runoff rate, runoff velocity, and sediment concentration and flux rate. The straw mulch cover was no longer present, whereas the wood mulch was still there in year 10. Vegetation regrowth was slow and mulch treatments provided effective cover to reduce sediment right after the fire. In post-fire year 10, there were no significant differences in sediment flux rates across treatments; it is notable, however, that the wood mulch treatment (0.09 g s⁻¹) most closely approached the unburned condition (0.07 g s⁻¹). The burned control plots had high sediment flux rates until post-fire year 3, when flux rates significantly decreased and were statistically no longer higher than the unburned levels from year 4 and 10. These results will inform managers of the longer-term post-fire sediment delivery rates and of the ability of post-fire emergency hillslope treatments to mitigate erosion rates. Published 2019. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.