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Xavier Úbeda
Department of Geography, Faculty of Geography and History, Universitat de Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain

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Journal article
Published: 06 May 2021 in Sustainability
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The present study was conducted following a fire that took place in Rocallaura (NE Iberian Peninsula) in 23 June 2016 with the aim of analyzing the chemical properties of soil in burnt and unburnt areas in order to determine the short-term effects of fire on an ecosystem dominated by Pinus halepensis Mill. Transects were laid out in a control area and an adjacent burnt area. Laboratory analyses were performed to determine the chemical properties of the organic and mineral soil layers at 5 cm and 10 cm (total carbon, total nitrogen, organic and inorganic carbon, carbonates, pH, electrical conductivity, and major cations). The results show partial combustion of the organic substrate, with a significant increase in TC, OC, TN, EC and K+, and a slight decrease in pH in the post-fire area compared to the control area, demonstrating that the fire was of low intensity and did not generate significant short-term negative impacts on the soil. Soils of this type, with high organic matter content, tend to maintain their structure after a low-intensity fire and retain the nutrients necessary for ecosystem recovery and resilience.

ACS Style

Miquel Xifré-Salvadó; Núria Prat-Guitart; Marcos Francos; Xavier Úbeda; Marc Castellnou. Effects of Fire on the Organic and Chemical Properties of Soil in a Pinus halepensis Mill. Forest in Rocallaura, NE Spain. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5178 .

AMA Style

Miquel Xifré-Salvadó, Núria Prat-Guitart, Marcos Francos, Xavier Úbeda, Marc Castellnou. Effects of Fire on the Organic and Chemical Properties of Soil in a Pinus halepensis Mill. Forest in Rocallaura, NE Spain. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (9):5178.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Miquel Xifré-Salvadó; Núria Prat-Guitart; Marcos Francos; Xavier Úbeda; Marc Castellnou. 2021. "Effects of Fire on the Organic and Chemical Properties of Soil in a Pinus halepensis Mill. Forest in Rocallaura, NE Spain." Sustainability 13, no. 9: 5178.

Journal article
Published: 21 September 2020 in Forests
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The high density of fuel accumulated in the Mediterranean ecosystems due to land abandonment results in high severity fires. Traditional fire practices and livestock grazing have played an important role in shaping the structure and composition of Mediterranean landscapes, and both can be efficient tools to manage them now that land abandonment is widespread. Attempts at controlling forest fires are essential for landscape management practices that, in their turn, seek to maintain a specific species composition. Against this backdrop, this study aims to determine the short- and long-term effects of the combined management practices of prescribed fires and goat grazing on the chemical properties of soils in Tivissa, Tarragona (NE Iberian Peninsula). Forty-two samples were collected in a 4 × 18 m plot before the prescribed fire of 2002 (1), immediately after the 2002 prescribed fire (PF) (2), one year after the 2002 PF (3), three years after the 2002 PF (4), and thirteen years after the 2002 PF (5). Soil samples were taken at each sampling point from the top layer (0–5 cm), sieved to obtain a +, Ca2+, and Mg2+ were determined. The results indicate that the short-term effects of fire are more relevant than those attributable to the livestock over the long term due to the low grazing intensity of less than one goat per ha. The long-term effects of prescribed fires were not visible in the research, suggesting that they recovered after burning with all their functions intact and with enhanced levels of natural fertility. Combined land management practices of prescribed fire and livestock grazing did not affect soil chemical properties. The applied management enhanced soil fertility and boosted the ecosystem’s resilience.

ACS Style

Meritxell Alcañiz; Xavier Úbeda; Artemi Cerdà. A 13-Year Approach to Understand the Effect of Prescribed Fires and Livestock Grazing on Soil Chemical Properties in Tivissa, NE Iberian Peninsula. Forests 2020, 11, 1013 .

AMA Style

Meritxell Alcañiz, Xavier Úbeda, Artemi Cerdà. A 13-Year Approach to Understand the Effect of Prescribed Fires and Livestock Grazing on Soil Chemical Properties in Tivissa, NE Iberian Peninsula. Forests. 2020; 11 (9):1013.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Meritxell Alcañiz; Xavier Úbeda; Artemi Cerdà. 2020. "A 13-Year Approach to Understand the Effect of Prescribed Fires and Livestock Grazing on Soil Chemical Properties in Tivissa, NE Iberian Peninsula." Forests 11, no. 9: 1013.

Journal article
Published: 28 July 2020 in Sustainability
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Over the last few decades, according to the Forest Fire Prevention Services of the Catalan Government, a small number of fires (less than 1%) have been responsible for the destruction of more than three quarters of the burnt forest area in Catalonia. However, while these wildfires have transformed many components of the landscape, including its vegetation and soils, they offer landowners the opportunity to learn from past decisions. This article aims to analyze the responses of forest owners in Central Catalonia after the great forest fires of the 1980s and 1990s, including the way in which their objectives and strategies are defined and their actions implemented. By conducting interviews with the members of forest owners’ associations and by means of participant observation at association meetings, we seek to examine the processes of social learning experienced by this collective and to identify the mechanisms used in their efforts to create socio-ecological structures that are less vulnerable to fire. Associationism is unusual in the world of Catalan forest ownership, despite the great number of private forest areas. In our results, however, associationism emerges as a strategy for cooperation, a recognition of the need to link ecological and social structures in the territory, and one which we define as a form of ‘socio-ecological resistance’. Our study highlights that the goals and actions of forest owners’ associations have both an instrumental and emotional component, so that reason, emotion and action have come to form the three vertices of socio-ecological resistance to fire.

ACS Style

Roser Rodríguez-Carreras; Xavier Úbeda; Marcos Francos; Claudia Marco. After the Wildfires: The Processes of Social Learning of Forest Owners’ Associations in Central Catalonia, Spain. Sustainability 2020, 12, 6042 .

AMA Style

Roser Rodríguez-Carreras, Xavier Úbeda, Marcos Francos, Claudia Marco. After the Wildfires: The Processes of Social Learning of Forest Owners’ Associations in Central Catalonia, Spain. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (15):6042.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Roser Rodríguez-Carreras; Xavier Úbeda; Marcos Francos; Claudia Marco. 2020. "After the Wildfires: The Processes of Social Learning of Forest Owners’ Associations in Central Catalonia, Spain." Sustainability 12, no. 15: 6042.

Journal article
Published: 16 May 2020 in Applied Sciences
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This study analyses the smouldering combustion on soils that took place during the wildfires that occurred in Rocallaura (Northeastern Spain). The smouldering combustion after the first event, 23 June, was the potential source of flaming fire re-ignition of the second event, 19 July 2016. Re-ignitions are an important challenge for the firefighting system. Budget and efforts are spent on controlling these re-ignitions that can ultimately cause the collapse of the response system if the re-ignitions happen during periods of simultaneous fire events. Our objective is to contribute to better understand the dynamics of the smouldering combustion of organic soils associated with these wildfires and the impact on the Pinus halepensis Mill. forest ecosystem. Transects were established in adjacent control and post-fire zones. Laboratory analyses were conducted to determine some physical and chemical properties of both the duff and mineral soil. Using these variables, we estimate thresholds of duff ignition probability, percentage of duff consumption and smouldering combustion spread rates. Overall, we provide a set of tools for evaluating re-ignitions in forest ecosystems. We conclude that the concept of fire persistence should be a new variable for consideration in present and future analysis of fire regimes and demonstrates the significance of introducing smouldering combustion and re-ignition within the strategic framework of the wildfire hazard and integrating these phenomena into forest planning and management.

ACS Style

Miquel Àngel Xifré-Salvadó; Núria Prat-Guitart; Marcos Francos; Xavier Úbeda; Marc Castellnou. Smouldering Combustion Dynamics of a Soil from a Pinus halepensis Mill. Forest. A Case Study of the Rocallaura Fires in Northeastern Spain. Applied Sciences 2020, 10, 3449 .

AMA Style

Miquel Àngel Xifré-Salvadó, Núria Prat-Guitart, Marcos Francos, Xavier Úbeda, Marc Castellnou. Smouldering Combustion Dynamics of a Soil from a Pinus halepensis Mill. Forest. A Case Study of the Rocallaura Fires in Northeastern Spain. Applied Sciences. 2020; 10 (10):3449.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Miquel Àngel Xifré-Salvadó; Núria Prat-Guitart; Marcos Francos; Xavier Úbeda; Marc Castellnou. 2020. "Smouldering Combustion Dynamics of a Soil from a Pinus halepensis Mill. Forest. A Case Study of the Rocallaura Fires in Northeastern Spain." Applied Sciences 10, no. 10: 3449.

Preprint content
Published: 23 March 2020
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Forest mechanical fuel treatments in Mediterranean ecosystems are frequently employed to reduce both the risk and severity of wildfires. These pre-fire treatments may influence the effects of wildfire events on soil properties. The aim of this study is to examine the effectivity of this treatment (clear-cutting operation whereby part of the vegetation was cut and left covering soil surface) carried out before a wildfire that broke out in 2015 and evaluate if the management had influence on post-wildfire soil properties of three sites: two exposed to management practices in 2005 (site M05B) and in 2015 (site M15B)–and one that did not undergo any management (NMB) and to compare their properties with those recorded in a Control area unaffected by 2015 wildfire. The fourth areas were sampled and compared 2, 10 and 18 months after wildfire. The study area is located in Ódena (Catalonia, Spain). The wildfire occurred at July 27th of 2015 and burned 1237 ha. In each area and in each sampling moment we collected 9 topsoil samples (0-5 cm depth). We analyzed aggregate stability (AS), soil organic matter (SOM) content, total nitrogen (TN), carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N), inorganic carbon (IC), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), extractable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and potassium (K), microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and basal soil respiration (BSR). Two-way ANOVA was carried out to check the differences according to sampling moment and to management. The results show that 2 months after the wildfire M05B showed greater amount of IC and pH; M15B showed greater Na than the other areas; NMB resulted higher in AS, TN, SOM, EC, Ca, Mg, K and BSR; and Control registered the highest Cmic. C/N resulted similar in the 4 areas in the three sampling moments. Ten months after wildfire, M05B showed greater AS and IC; NMB resulted higher in TN, SOM, EC, Mg and K; and Control showed higher pH, Ca, Na, Cmic and BSR. In the last sampling, 18 months after wildfire, M05B showed greater pH; M15B showed higher AS; NMB resulted higher in TN, SOM, EC, Ca and K; and Control showed higher IC, Mg, Na, Cmic and BSR. According to the treatments M05B registered higher TN, SOM, IC, EC, Mg, Na and K during 1st sampling; AS and C/N during 2nd sampling; and pH, Ca, Cmic and BSR during 3rd sampling. M15B registered higher IC, Mg, Na and K during 1st sampling; BSR and C/N during 2nd sampling; and AS, TN, SOM, pH, EC, Ca and Cmic during 3rd sampling. NMB registered higher IC, Mg, Na, K, Cmic and BSR during 1st sampling; AS and C/N during 2nd sampling; and TN, SOM, pH, EC and Ca during 3rd sampling. Control did not vary significantly over time due to the absence of perturbation. Overall, a comparison of the pre-fire treatments showed that NMB was the practice that had the least negative effects on the soil properties studied, followed by M15B, and that fire severity was highest at M05B due to the accumulation of dead plant fuel.

ACS Style

Marcos Francos; Xavier Úbeda; Paulo Pereira; Victoria Arcenegui; Jorge Mataix-Solera. Pre-fire forest management effectivity to decrease wildfire impact on soil properties in a Mediterranean forest. 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Marcos Francos, Xavier Úbeda, Paulo Pereira, Victoria Arcenegui, Jorge Mataix-Solera. Pre-fire forest management effectivity to decrease wildfire impact on soil properties in a Mediterranean forest. . 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcos Francos; Xavier Úbeda; Paulo Pereira; Victoria Arcenegui; Jorge Mataix-Solera. 2020. "Pre-fire forest management effectivity to decrease wildfire impact on soil properties in a Mediterranean forest." , no. : 1.

Preprint content
Published: 23 March 2020
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The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main urban vector that transmits Dengue disease worldwide. In the last 25 years it has had a significant increase at a global level, reaching areas where it was eradicated, such as the reappearance in the extreme north of Chile, an area covered by the Atacama Desert. This mosquito is closely related to human settlements, which present risks that lie in the capacity of transmission of diseases caused by arboviruses by Aedes aegypti such as: Zika, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever and Dengue. The last one is the most important viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes in humans with more than 50 million estimated cases annually in over 100 countries. The aim of this study is to analyze the urban and environmental variables that determine the reappearance of the vector and to propose mitigation measures to reduce the risks of contagion. This study is located in the city of Arica (18°28'28.6'' S 70°17'52.5'' W) in the extreme north of the Atacama Desert, which has extraordinary habitability conditions characterized by rivers that are reactivated by summer rains in the Andes and valleys with agro-ecological productivity. The Pan American Health Organization determined the end of the presence of the mosquito in 1961 and its reappearance from 2016 in continental Chile. About the methods, the Health Authority established action limits based on the risks presented by these areas in terms of health interest and location, through inspections that allowed the identification of the vulnerability of each area. This was done by means of inspections that made it possible to identify the vulnerability of the sites. The discovery sites were geolocated according to the phenomenology of the species, considering the radius of flight among other phenological characteristics. The results allowed the identification of critical areas for the establishment of focus. The residential typologies of the sites were classified as industrial zones and suburbs in the urban limits with space-time coincidences. During 2016, 56 cases were found in urban and peri-urban areas between May and June. In 2018 there were findings between March-April with 14 cases in industrial and residential areas, while in 2019 there were findings between January-May and December with a total of 27 positive cases in peri-urban areas. In conclusion, there is evidence of a shift in findings from residential areas of paired housing (2016) to industrial areas (2018) and to suburbs in 2019. There is evidence of a deseasonalization in the findings of the mosquito, being a problem that must be controlled throughout the year. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find work methodologies that can anticipate the detection of mosquitoes in sites that present a high risk, in order to take decisions on health management and apply control measures to regulate the accumulation of water. Environmental Education is proposed as a method to promote citizen awareness to face the risks associated with the vector together with government, academic and community coordination, cooperation and collaboration.

ACS Style

Mauricio Gonzalez-Pacheco; Marcos Francos; Angelo Olivares; Xavier Úbeda. Key socio-economic and environmental factors in the reappearance of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in the Atacama (North Chile) Desert areas and mitigation risk measures. 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Mauricio Gonzalez-Pacheco, Marcos Francos, Angelo Olivares, Xavier Úbeda. Key socio-economic and environmental factors in the reappearance of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in the Atacama (North Chile) Desert areas and mitigation risk measures. . 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mauricio Gonzalez-Pacheco; Marcos Francos; Angelo Olivares; Xavier Úbeda. 2020. "Key socio-economic and environmental factors in the reappearance of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in the Atacama (North Chile) Desert areas and mitigation risk measures." , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 25 June 2019 in Agronomy
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The abandonment of the economic activities of agriculture, livestock, and forestry since the second half of the 20th century, in conjunction with the exodus of inhabitants from rural areas, has resulted in an increase in the forest mass as well as an expansion of forest areas. This, in turn, has led to a greater risk of forest fires and an increase in the intensity and severity of these fires. Moreover, these forest masses represent a fire hazard to adjacent urban areas, which is a problem illustrated here by the village of Capafonts, whose former agricultural terraces have been invaded by shrubs, and which in the event of fire runs the risk of aiding the propagation of the flames from the forest to the village’s homes. One of the tools available to reduce the amount of fuel in zones adjoining inhabited areas is prescribed burns. The local authorities have also promoted measures to convert these terraces into pasture; in this way, the grazing of livestock (in this particular instance, goats) aims to keep fuel levels low and thus reduce the risk of fire. The use of prescribed fires is controversial, as they are believed to be highly aggressive for the soil, and little is known about their long-term effects. The alternation of the two strategies is more acceptable—that is, the use of prescribed burning followed by the grazing of livestock. Yet, similarly little is known about the effects of this management sequence on the soil. As such, this study seeks to examine the impact of the management of the abandoned terraces of Capafonts by means of two prescribed fires (2000 and 2002), which were designed specifically to prevent forest fires from reaching the village. Following these two prescribed burns, a herd of goats began to graze these terraces in 2005. Here, we report the results of soil analyses conducted during this period of years up to and including 2017. A plot comprising 30 sampling points was established on one of the terraces and used to monitor its main soil quality properties. The data were subject to statistical tests to determine whether the recorded changes were significant. The results show modifications to the concentration of soil elements, and since the first prescribed burn, these changes have all been statistically significant. We compare our results with those reported in other studies that evaluate optimum soil concentrations for the adequate growth of grazing to feed goats, and conclude that the soil conditions on the terrace after 17 years are optimum for livestock use.

ACS Style

Xavier Úbeda; Meritxell Alcañiz; Gonzalo Borges; Luis Outeiro; Marcos Francos. Soil Quality of Abandoned Agricultural Terraces Managed with Prescribed Fires and Livestock in the Municipality of Capafonts, Catalonia, Spain (2000–2017). Agronomy 2019, 9, 340 .

AMA Style

Xavier Úbeda, Meritxell Alcañiz, Gonzalo Borges, Luis Outeiro, Marcos Francos. Soil Quality of Abandoned Agricultural Terraces Managed with Prescribed Fires and Livestock in the Municipality of Capafonts, Catalonia, Spain (2000–2017). Agronomy. 2019; 9 (6):340.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xavier Úbeda; Meritxell Alcañiz; Gonzalo Borges; Luis Outeiro; Marcos Francos. 2019. "Soil Quality of Abandoned Agricultural Terraces Managed with Prescribed Fires and Livestock in the Municipality of Capafonts, Catalonia, Spain (2000–2017)." Agronomy 9, no. 6: 340.

Abstract
Published: 01 January 2019 in Proceedings
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Ash cover the forest fire affected soil for some weeks or months and act as a key factor to determine the soil and water losses. Ash depth is researched here to determine how affect the soil detachment and the runoff generation. Seventy rainfall simulation experiments on paired 0.50 m2 plots (five plots with 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15- and 30-mm ash depth), and repeated one week later) under thunderstorms of 48 mmh-1 for one hour were carried out under laboratory conditions. In the first experiment, after the bed of ash was applied, the results show that ash depth determines the runoff rates as they reduce the discharge from 23.1% to 13.9%. The sediment concentration increased from 23.8 till 38.3 g L−1, and the total soil erosion from 22.9 till 27.6 Mg ha−1 y−1. In the second experiment after the bed of ash was applied, the results show that runoff discharge was higher and moved from 43.2% till 55.33%. The sediment concentration increased from 13.8 till 18.9 g L−1 and the total soil erosion slightly increased from 33.9 till 47.6 Mg ha−1 y−1. This research confirms that the fresh ash beds contribute to reduce the runoff losses and as deeper is the ash bed lower is the runoff discharge. However, the ash bed also acts as a source of sediments and as deep is the ash bed the runoff sediment concentration is higher. The soil erosion increased with the depth of the ash bed. After the simulated thunderstorms, the soils shown a reduction in their capacity to hold water due to the crust formation and runoff was enhanced. Sediment concentration is reduced due to the ash compaction and the final soil erosion rates increased as a consequence of the larger runoff discharge. This research demonstrates the highly dynamic response of the ash after the fire due to the wetting and drying processes after the thunderstorms.

ACS Style

Artemi Cerdà; Xavier Úbeda; Gaspar Mora-Navarro; Enric Terol; Antonio Giménez-Morera. A Rainfall Simulator Laboratory Approach to Determine the Impact of Ash Depth on Runoff Generation and Soil Losses. Proceedings 2019, 30, 71 .

AMA Style

Artemi Cerdà, Xavier Úbeda, Gaspar Mora-Navarro, Enric Terol, Antonio Giménez-Morera. A Rainfall Simulator Laboratory Approach to Determine the Impact of Ash Depth on Runoff Generation and Soil Losses. Proceedings. 2019; 30 (1):71.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Artemi Cerdà; Xavier Úbeda; Gaspar Mora-Navarro; Enric Terol; Antonio Giménez-Morera. 2019. "A Rainfall Simulator Laboratory Approach to Determine the Impact of Ash Depth on Runoff Generation and Soil Losses." Proceedings 30, no. 1: 71.

Journal article
Published: 20 April 2018 in Water
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This study aimed at determining the field-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Kfs, of an unmanaged field affected by fire by means of single-ring infiltrometer runs and the use of transient and steady-state data analysis procedures. Sampling and measurements were carried out in 2012 and 2017 in a fire-affected field (burnt site) and in a neighboring non-affected site (control site). The predictive potential of different data analysis procedures (i.e., transient and steady-state) to yield proper Kfs estimates was investigated. In particular, the transient WU1 method and the BB, WU2 and OPD methods were compared. The cumulative linearization (CL) method was used to apply the WU1 method. Values of Kfs ranging from 0.87 to 4.21 mm·h−1 were obtained, depending on the considered data analysis method. The WU1 method did not yield significantly different Kfs estimates between the sampled sites throughout the five-year period, due to the generally poor performance of the CL method, which spoiled the soil hydraulic characterization. In particular, good fits were only obtained in 23% of the cases. The BB, WU2 and the OPD methods, with a characterization based exclusively on a stabilized infiltration process, yielded an appreciably lower variability of the Kfs data as compared with the WU1 method. It was concluded that steady-state methods were more appropriate for detecting slight changes of Kfs in post-fire soil hydraulic characterizations. Our results showed a certain degree of soil degradation at the burnt site with an immediate reduction of the soil organic matter and a progressive increase of the soil bulk density during the five years following the fire. This general impoverishment resulted in a slight but significant decrease in the field-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity.

ACS Style

Simone Di Prima; Laurent Lassabatere; Jesús Rodrigo-Comino; Roberto Marrosu; Manuel Pulido; Rafael Angulo-Jaramillo; Xavier Úbeda; Saskia Keesstra; Artemi Cerdà; Mario Pirastru. Comparing Transient and Steady-State Analysis of Single-Ring Infiltrometer Data for an Abandoned Field Affected by Fire in Eastern Spain. Water 2018, 10, 514 .

AMA Style

Simone Di Prima, Laurent Lassabatere, Jesús Rodrigo-Comino, Roberto Marrosu, Manuel Pulido, Rafael Angulo-Jaramillo, Xavier Úbeda, Saskia Keesstra, Artemi Cerdà, Mario Pirastru. Comparing Transient and Steady-State Analysis of Single-Ring Infiltrometer Data for an Abandoned Field Affected by Fire in Eastern Spain. Water. 2018; 10 (4):514.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Simone Di Prima; Laurent Lassabatere; Jesús Rodrigo-Comino; Roberto Marrosu; Manuel Pulido; Rafael Angulo-Jaramillo; Xavier Úbeda; Saskia Keesstra; Artemi Cerdà; Mario Pirastru. 2018. "Comparing Transient and Steady-State Analysis of Single-Ring Infiltrometer Data for an Abandoned Field Affected by Fire in Eastern Spain." Water 10, no. 4: 514.

Review
Published: 01 February 2018 in Science of The Total Environment
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Soils constitute one of the most valuable resources on earth, especially because soil is renewable on human time scales. During the 20th century, a period marked by a widespread rural exodus and land abandonment, fire suppression policies were adopted facilitating the accumulation of fuel in forested areas, exacerbating the effects of wildfires, leading to severe degradation of soils. Prescribed fires emerged as an option for protecting forests and their soils from wildfires through the reduction of fuels levels. However such fires can serve other objectives, including stimulating the regeneration of a particular plant species, maintaining biological diversity or as a tool for recovering grasslands in encroached lands. This paper reviews studies examining the short- and long- term impacts of prescribed fires on the physical, chemical and biological soil properties; in so doing, it provides a summary of the benefits and drawbacks of this technique, to help determine if prescribed fires can be useful for managing the landscape. From the study conducted, we can affirm that prescribed fires affects soil properties but differ greatly depending on soil initial characteristics, vegetation or type of fire. Also, it is possible to see that soil's physical and biological properties are more strongly affected by prescribed fires than are its chemical properties. Finally, we conclude that prescribed fires clearly constitute a disturbance on the environment (positive, neutral or negative depending on the soil property studied), but most of the studies reviewed report a good recovery and their effects could be less pronounced than those of wildfires because of the limited soil heating and lower fire intensity and severity.

ACS Style

M. Alcañiz; L. Outeiro; Marcos Francos; X. Úbeda. Effects of prescribed fires on soil properties: A review. Science of The Total Environment 2018, 613-614, 944 -957.

AMA Style

M. Alcañiz, L. Outeiro, Marcos Francos, X. Úbeda. Effects of prescribed fires on soil properties: A review. Science of The Total Environment. 2018; 613-614 ():944-957.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Alcañiz; L. Outeiro; Marcos Francos; X. Úbeda. 2018. "Effects of prescribed fires on soil properties: A review." Science of The Total Environment 613-614, no. : 944-957.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2018 in Journal of Environmental Management
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Few studies to date have examined the effect of the high temperatures attained during wildfire events on the pigments present in forest foliage. Here, we seek to analyse the main photosynthetic pigments in the leaves of the oak, cork oak and eucalyptus following a wildfire. We also subject leaves of these last two species to a range of contact temperatures (100-500 °C) in the laboratory using a muffle furnace. The samples were left in the muffle for two hours at 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400 and 500 °C, in line with other soil study models (Úbeda et al., 2009; Düdaite et al., 2013). At temperatures above 250 °C, chromatography fails to detect any pigments. A minimal increase in temperature degrades chlorophyll, the process being more rapid in eucalyptus than in cork oak, while it increases pheophytin concentrations.

ACS Style

Montserrat Soler; X. Úbeda. Evaluation of fire severity via analysis of photosynthetic pigments: Oak, eucalyptus and cork oak leaves in a Mediterranean forest. Journal of Environmental Management 2018, 206, 65 -68.

AMA Style

Montserrat Soler, X. Úbeda. Evaluation of fire severity via analysis of photosynthetic pigments: Oak, eucalyptus and cork oak leaves in a Mediterranean forest. Journal of Environmental Management. 2018; 206 ():65-68.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Montserrat Soler; X. Úbeda. 2018. "Evaluation of fire severity via analysis of photosynthetic pigments: Oak, eucalyptus and cork oak leaves in a Mediterranean forest." Journal of Environmental Management 206, no. : 65-68.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2016 in Science of The Total Environment
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This study examines the effects of a prescribed fire on soil chemical properties in the Montgrí Massif (Girona, Spain). The prescribed forest fire was conducted in 2006 to reduce understory vegetation and so prevent potential severe wildfires. Soil was sampled at a depth of 0-5cm at 42 sampling points on four separate occasions: prior to the event, immediately after, one year after and nine years after. The parameters studied were pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). All parameters (except pH) increased significantly immediately after the fire. One year after burning, some chemical parameters - namely, EC, available P and K - had returned to their initial, or even lower, values; while others - pH and total C - continued to rise. Total N, Ca and Mg levels had fallen one year after the fire, but levels were still higher than those prior to the event. Nine years after the fire, pH, total C, total N and available P are significantly lower than pre-fire values and nutrients concentrations are now higher than at the outset but without statistical significance. The soil system, therefore, is still far from being recovered nine years later.

ACS Style

M. Alcañiz; L. Outeiro; Marcos Francos; J. Farguell; X. Úbeda. Long-term dynamics of soil chemical properties after a prescribed fire in a Mediterranean forest (Montgrí Massif, Catalonia, Spain). Science of The Total Environment 2016, 572, 1329 -1335.

AMA Style

M. Alcañiz, L. Outeiro, Marcos Francos, J. Farguell, X. Úbeda. Long-term dynamics of soil chemical properties after a prescribed fire in a Mediterranean forest (Montgrí Massif, Catalonia, Spain). Science of The Total Environment. 2016; 572 ():1329-1335.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Alcañiz; L. Outeiro; Marcos Francos; J. Farguell; X. Úbeda. 2016. "Long-term dynamics of soil chemical properties after a prescribed fire in a Mediterranean forest (Montgrí Massif, Catalonia, Spain)." Science of The Total Environment 572, no. : 1329-1335.

Chapter
Published: 01 July 2015 in Flood Risk in the Upper Vistula Basin
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In many parts of the world, forest fires are very common. Fires burn more or less severely the vegetation and even the most organic parts of the forest soil. Fire can modify the physical properties of soil; due to the combustion of vegetation and organic matter, some chemical substances appear and ashes are deposited in the soil surface in various quantities. During the combustion, there is a production of gases, which go to the atmosphere but some of them go deep into the soil and condensate around the soil particles. Due to these important changes resulting from fires, the rainfall arrives at the soil surface in a different way, the infiltration capacity changes due to hydrophobicity, the runoff generation can increase and also the movement of fine and coarse soil particles takes place. All these changes are important for the water and sediment production at the slopes and the consequences can remain during months or years at a basin scale.

ACS Style

Antonio Velasco; Xavier Úbeda. Runoff Generation and Soil Erosion After Forest Fires from the Slopes to the Rivers at a Basin Scale. Flood Risk in the Upper Vistula Basin 2015, 443 -458.

AMA Style

Antonio Velasco, Xavier Úbeda. Runoff Generation and Soil Erosion After Forest Fires from the Slopes to the Rivers at a Basin Scale. Flood Risk in the Upper Vistula Basin. 2015; ():443-458.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Antonio Velasco; Xavier Úbeda. 2015. "Runoff Generation and Soil Erosion After Forest Fires from the Slopes to the Rivers at a Basin Scale." Flood Risk in the Upper Vistula Basin , no. : 443-458.

Journal article
Published: 07 March 2014 in Cuadernos de Investigación Geográfica
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In 2012, eighteen years after a forest fire that took place in 1994 and burned a Pinus pinaster plantation, the soil aggregate stability is analysed and compared with aggregates of an unburned control area. The burned area was divided into three zones just after the fire, low, medium and high intensity fire, depending on the intensity at which burned each of the three zones. The results of the sampling in 2012, were compared to the analysis of the soil aggregates in 1994 and 1995. The results show that after eighteen years the aggregates of the burned zones are less stable based on two analytical methods, and the differences between burned areas not significant. The fact that the soil of the control zone has more organic matter and concentration of chemical elements like, calcium, magnesium and iron, seems to be the determining factor of greater stability of surface aggregates in the control zone.

ACS Style

A. Velasco; X. Úbeda. Estabilidad de los agregados de un suelo quemado a diferentes intensidades de fuego dieciocho años después de un incendio forestal. Cuadernos de Investigación Geográfica 2014, 40, 333 -352.

AMA Style

A. Velasco, X. Úbeda. Estabilidad de los agregados de un suelo quemado a diferentes intensidades de fuego dieciocho años después de un incendio forestal. Cuadernos de Investigación Geográfica. 2014; 40 (2):333-352.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A. Velasco; X. Úbeda. 2014. "Estabilidad de los agregados de un suelo quemado a diferentes intensidades de fuego dieciocho años después de un incendio forestal." Cuadernos de Investigación Geográfica 40, no. 2: 333-352.

Journal article
Published: 01 July 2006 in Land Degradation & Development
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Inventories of vegetation were collected in a burnt area located in Cadiretes massif, Catalan Coastal Ranges, northeast Spain. The burnt forest primarily consisted of pine plantation (Pinus pinaster) with a large number of cork trees (Quercus suber). The burnt area was divided into three zones based on fire intensity. Data from three different periods after the fire (six, ten and twenty‐four months) showed differences between the recovering vegetation and that in a control forest area. Numbers and types of resurgent vegetation species following the fire were different in each area. Regeneration of vegetation is important not only in terms of plant regrowth but also for protecting the soil surface from rainfall impact. During the research period the burnt area was managed homogeneously by the forestry authorities. Management operations, among others, involved tree felling, construction of terraces, with dead trees to control erosion, and reforestation of some species. Some of these operations, such as tree felling and the creation of terraces which were carried out one year after the fire, were implemented too late, since the most serious erosion had already taken place. Some operations, such as reforestation in some low intensity burnt areas, are unnecessary due to the profuse recovery of Pinus and Quercus suber. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

ACS Style

X. Úbeda; Luis Outeiro; M. Sala. Vegetation regrowth after a differential intensity forest fire in a Mediterranean environment, northeast Spain. Land Degradation & Development 2006, 17, 429 -440.

AMA Style

X. Úbeda, Luis Outeiro, M. Sala. Vegetation regrowth after a differential intensity forest fire in a Mediterranean environment, northeast Spain. Land Degradation & Development. 2006; 17 (4):429-440.

Chicago/Turabian Style

X. Úbeda; Luis Outeiro; M. Sala. 2006. "Vegetation regrowth after a differential intensity forest fire in a Mediterranean environment, northeast Spain." Land Degradation & Development 17, no. 4: 429-440.

Research article
Published: 01 January 2005 in International Journal of Wildland Fire
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This study examines the effects of a prescribed fire, conducted in grassland in order to maintain a fire break, on soil quality (pH and nutrients) in the Prades Mountains in the Mediterranean climate of north-east Spain. Soil at a 4 × 18 m study plot, located in an abandoned agricultural terrace on calcareous bedrock at 760 m above sea level, was sampled at 0–5 cm depth at 42 sampling points before, immediately after and one year after the burn and analysed for pH and carbon, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous content. Fire intensity was low and surface soil temperatures did not exceed 200°C. All parameters examined showed a significant increase immediately after the fire. One year later, pH and total carbon had returned to pre-fire levels, and nitrogen and phosphorous were above, whereas potassium levels had decreased to below pre-fire levels. Overall, the prescribed fire did not appear to adversely affect soil. However, using prescribed burning on an annual basis as a tool to maintain an effective fire break may not allow enough time for the soils to fully recover.

ACS Style

Xavier Úbeda; Marc Lorca; Luis Outeiro; Sara Bernia; Marc Castellnou. Effects of prescribed fire on soil quality in Mediterranean grassland (Prades Mountains, north-east Spain). International Journal of Wildland Fire 2005, 14, 379 -384.

AMA Style

Xavier Úbeda, Marc Lorca, Luis Outeiro, Sara Bernia, Marc Castellnou. Effects of prescribed fire on soil quality in Mediterranean grassland (Prades Mountains, north-east Spain). International Journal of Wildland Fire. 2005; 14 (4):379-384.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xavier Úbeda; Marc Lorca; Luis Outeiro; Sara Bernia; Marc Castellnou. 2005. "Effects of prescribed fire on soil quality in Mediterranean grassland (Prades Mountains, north-east Spain)." International Journal of Wildland Fire 14, no. 4: 379-384.