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Contribution of charcoal to short-term nutrient dynamics after surface fire in the humus layer of a dwarf bamboo-dominated forest

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Abstract

Ecological function of charcoal has been mainly investigated by adding charcoal to soil, which is not fully adequate to understand in situ the role in fire-prone forest ecosystem. To determine in situ effects of charcoal on ecosystem functions, such as nutrient availability, we conducted an experimental burning in a Japanese white birch forest with dense coverage of dwarf bamboo in the understory with or without removal of charcoal. Ammonium-N in the remaining humus layer increased immediately after the burning, but decreased to the level of unburnt plots within 1 month of the burning. Removal of charcoal had no significant effect on the NH4 +-N dynamics. Although burning did not affect NO3 −-N dynamics during the sampling period, charcoal removal led to a slight increase in NO3 −-N. The available P increased immediately after the burning, but then fell at 1 month after burning. Charcoal inhibited the available P depletion and prolonged the high availability of P. Greater availability of P might be due to the adsorption of phosphate in charcoal pores. Exchangeable Ca and Mg increased gradually; charcoal appeared to extend the period of higher concentration of exchangeable Ca and Mg. Charcoal deriving from fire is a key factor in influencing available nutrient in the humus layer of post-fire forests.

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Acknowledgements

This experimental burning was conducted with the cooperation of Prof. K. Sasa and the technical staff and technical assistant staff of the Teshio Experimental Forest where is a part of JaLTER core site, North Hokkaido Experimental Forest. We thank Dr. M. Shibuya, Dr. H. Saito and Prof. S.D. Wilson for their valuable comments for this study. Thanks are also due to Dr. H. Iijima for his invaluable comments on statistical analysis, Ms. Y. Hasegawa for her kind help in the field and laboratory work, and Prof. Y. Uraki for his support of charcoal analysis. This study is supported in part by the Grant-in-Aid of JSPS to Hashidoko, Y. (Type A 2025500208), that to K. Makoto (No. 192105), that to Koike, T. (Type B No. 20380083), Research Foundation from JAFTA (12th-H20) to Satomura, T., and contributed to the research project of the Forest Research Station of Field Science Center of Northern Biosphere of Hokkaido University (TEF07).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Silviculture and Forest Ecological Studies, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589, Japan

    K. Makoto, Y. S. Kim & T. Koike

  2. Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Climate Impact Research Center, Umeå University, Abisko, 981-07, Sweden

    K. Makoto

  3. Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0809, Japan

    H. Shibata, T. Satomura, K. Takagi, M. Nomura & F. Satoh

  4. Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Kida, 761-0795, Japan

    T. Satomura

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  1. K. Makoto
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Correspondence to T. Koike.

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Makoto, K., Shibata, H., Kim, Y.S. et al. Contribution of charcoal to short-term nutrient dynamics after surface fire in the humus layer of a dwarf bamboo-dominated forest. Biol Fertil Soils 48, 569–577 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0657-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0657-y

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