A review of simulation experiment techniques used to analyze wildfire effects on water quality and supply

Brucker, Carli P; Livneh, Ben; Minear, J. T.; Rosario‐Ortiz, Fernando L.

doi:10.1039/d2em00045h

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 124 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…When trying to simulate natural fires, soil samples are often heated in laboratory muffle furnaces. However, using a muffle furnace can result in significant differences from natural fires since the samples are heated from all sides instead of just the soil surface (Brucker et al, 2022). A muffle furnace experiment conducted by Martínez et al (2022) confirmed that the hydraulic conductivity (both saturated and unsaturated) of sandy loam soil increased with temperature while the organic matter content of the soil decreased.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Analyzing fire-induced water repellency and runoff in forest soil from beech forest: A controlled laboratory experiment

šurda,

Vitková,

Zvala

et al. 2023

AHS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Forest fires are a common ecological disturbance affecting soil properties and hydrological processes. In this study, we investigated the impact of fire on surface runoff and soil water repellency (SWR) in beech forest through a laboratory experiment. Our main goals were to quantify the severity of SWR caused by low-intensity fires (simulated at 300°C in a muffle furnace) using contact angle measurements with an optical goniometer and to analyze the relationship between heat-induced alterations in SWR and subsequent surface runoff generated by a rainfall simulator in laboratory conditions. The secondary goal of this study was to propose an innovative laboratory approach as an alternative for fire experiments in real forest environments. We collected six monoliths, each with a forest soil surface layer measuring 20 cm x 15 cm x 10 cm, from the Zvolen-Budča site. These monoliths were heated at 300°C for 20 minutes in a muffle furnace to simulate the impact of lowintensity wildfires. Subsequently, the burnt monoliths and the Control were exposed to artificial rain from a rainfall simulator, and surface runoff was measured. The results showed a significant increase in surface runoff from the burnt monoliths compared to the Control, indicating the impact of fire-induced changes in soil structure and SWR. Additionally, contact angle measurements using an optical goniometer showed increased SWR in the burnt disturbed samples. The findings of our study underscore the significance of the interplay between fire-induced alterations in SWR and surface runoff. They offer valuable insights into the post-fire hydrological responses and erosion risks in forest ecosystems. These insights could help develop effective strategies to mitigate the environmental impacts of forest fires.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Analyzing fire-induced water repellency and runoff in forest soil from beech forest: A controlled laboratory experiment

šurda,

Vitková,

Zvala

et al. 2023

AHS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Wildfires are widespread ecosystem disturbances that burn millions of hectares each year and are beneficial within fire-adapted environments. − However, over the past five decades, wildfires have become more frequent, severe (i.e., more vegetation and organic matter are consumed during burning), intense (i.e., higher temperatures and energy output), and are projected to increase in size. − Thus, understanding how wildfires impact terrestrial ecosystems and the soils that support them is essential.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fire Impacts on the Soil Metabolome and Organic Matter Biodegradability

VanderRoest,

Fowler,

Rhoades

et al. 2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Global wildfire activity has increased since the 1970s and is projected to intensify throughout the 21st century. Wildfires change the composition and biodegradability of soil organic matter (SOM) which contains nutrients that fuel microbial metabolism. Though persistent forms of SOM often increase postfire, the response of more biodegradable SOM remains unclear. Here we simulated severe wildfires through a controlled "pyrocosm" approach to identify biodegradable sources of SOM and characterize the soil metabolome immediately postfire. Using microbial amplicon (16S/ITS) sequencing and gas chromatography−mass spectrometry, heterotrophic microbes (Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Protobacteria) and specific metabolites (glycine, protocatechuate, citric cycle intermediates) were enriched in burned soils, indicating that burned soils contain a variety of substrates that support microbial metabolism. Molecular formulas assigned by 21 T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry showed that SOM in burned soil was lower in molecular weight and featured 20 to 43% more nitrogen-containing molecular formulas than unburned soil. We also measured higher water extractable organic carbon concentrations and higher CO 2 efflux in burned soils. The observed enrichment of biodegradable SOM and microbial heterotrophs demonstrates the resilience of these soils to severe burning, providing important implications for postfire soil microbial and plant recolonization and ecosystem recovery.

show abstract

“…Laboratory heating of soil samples in muffle furnaces is often used to simulate a natural fire. However, muffle furnaces heat the samples from all sides, making them significantly different from natural fires that only heat the soil surface [8]. Novák et al [9] found that water drop penetration time (WDPT) and saturated hydraulic conductivity of sandy soils from grassland increased with increasing the heating temperature from 20 to 250 • C. Stoof et al [10] revealed that heating soil to <200 • C did not change the properties of the studied sandy soil, but heating soil to >300 • C increased bulk density, clay and silt content, and decreased soil organic matter and sand content.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Heating on Properties of Sandy Soils

Šurda,

Lichner,

Iovino

et al. 2023

Land

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although burning grass and crop residues is prohibited in many countries, farmers perceive it as a quick and inexpensive way to eliminate unwanted biomass. The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of heating temperature (simulation of biomass burning) on the studied properties (soil organic carbon (SOC) content, pH(H2O), water drop penetration time, WDPT, and contact angle, CA) of acidic sandy soils. Soil samples were taken from the experimental sites S1, S2, and S3 at Studienka village in the Borská nížina lowland (southwestern Slovakia). Experimental site S1 was arable land, experimental site S2 was arable land abandoned for approximately 10 years, and experimental site S3 was arable land abandoned for approximately 30 years with scattered Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees. It was found that all the soil properties studied were strongly affected by heating. A drop in SOC was observed in all the soils for the heating temperature between 20 and 600 °C. Due to the incomplete combustion of SOC, a small (0.1–0.7%) SOC content was recorded even in soils heated to between 600 and 900 °C. An increase in pH(H2O) was observed in all the soils for the heating temperature higher than 300 °C. Soil from the experimental site S1 was wettable (WDPT < 5 s) for all of the heating temperatures. WDPT vs. heating temperature relationships for the soils from the experimental sites S2 and S3 were more complex. After a decrease in the heating temperature of 50 °C, an increase in WDPT for the heating temperature between 50 °C and 300 °C (for S3 soil) and 350 °C (for S2 soil) was registered. Finally, the WDPT dramatically dropped to 0 for the heating temperature of 350 °C (for S3 soil) and 400 °C (for S2 soil). CA started to decrease at 300 °C in all the soils and dropped to 0° for all the soils at 800 °C. CA > 0° measured in soils for the heating temperature between 400 and 800 °C, as a consequence of the small SOC contents due to the incomplete combustion of SOC, is a novelty of this study which demonstrates that CA is more sensitive to the changes in subcritical water repellency than WDPT.

show abstract

A review of simulation experiment techniques used to analyze wildfire effects on water quality and supply

Abstract: This review addresses the critical knowledge gap of techniques simulating combustion and heating characteristics present in natural wildfires and their use in assessing postfire impacts on water quality and quantity....

Cited by 7 publications

References 124 publications

Analyzing fire-induced water repellency and runoff in forest soil from beech forest: A controlled laboratory experiment

Analyzing fire-induced water repellency and runoff in forest soil from beech forest: A controlled laboratory experiment

Fire Impacts on the Soil Metabolome and Organic Matter Biodegradability

The Effect of Heating on Properties of Sandy Soils

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About