A Summary of the Scientific Literature on the Effects of Fire on the Concentration of Nutrients in Surface Waters
By Anthony J. Ranalli
Open-File Report 2004-1296-Online only
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The citation for this report, in USGS format, is as follows:
Ranalli, A.J., 2004, A Summary of the Scientific Literature on the Effects
of Fire on the Concentration of Nutrients in Surface Waters: U.S. Geological
Survey Open-File Report 2004-1296, 23 p.
Abstract
This paper provides a detailed review of the chemical changes that occur
in soil during a fire, the pathways by which nutrients are transferred
from soil to surface-water bodies following a fire, and the temporal and
spatial effects of fires on the concentration of nutrients in surface-water
bodies during and following a fire that have been reported in the scientific
literature. Thirty-nine papers from the scientific literature that represent
studies that (1) were done in a variety of environments (savannas, grasslands,
temperate forests, alpine forests, and so forth); (2) had a range of sampling
frequency and duration, such as during and immediately following a fire
(from the start of fire to 1 year later), short-term sampling (from end
of fire to 3 years later), and long term-sampling (sampling for greater
than 3 years following a fire); and (3) incorporated watersheds with various
burn intensities, severities, and histories were reviewed and summarized.
The review of the scientific literature has revealed that measurable effects
of fires on streamwater quality are most likely to occur if the fire was
severe enough to burn large amounts of organic matter, if windy conditions
were present during the fire, if heavy rain occurred following the fire,
and if the fire occurred in a watershed with steep slopes and soils with
little cation-exchange capacity. Measurable effects of fires on lake-
and reservoir-water quality are most likely to occur if, in addition to
the factors listed for streams, the lake or reservoir is oligotrophic
or mesotrophic and the residence time of water in the lake or reservoir
is short relative to the length of time elevated concentrations of nutrients
occur in runoff. Knowledge of whether a lake or reservoir is nitrogen
or phosphorus limited is important because eutrophication of nitrogen-limited
lakes may occur following a fire due to increasing nitrogen:phosphorus
ratios caused by prolonged increases of nitrogen concentrations, especially
nitrate.
Contents
Abstract
Introduction
Literature review
Chemical changes in soil during a wildfire
Transfer of nutrients and cations from ash to streams and lakes
Temporal effects on streamwater nitrogen during and following wildfires
Other forms of nitrogen
Temporal effects on streamwater phosphorus during and following wildfires
Temporal effects on nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in lake and reservoir water during and following wildfires
Summary of literature review
References
