Soil microbial biomass, abundance, and diversity in a Japanese red pine forest: first year after fire

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the microbial biomass carbon and abundance and diversity of soil microorganisms immediately
after the occurrence of fire in a Japanese red pine forest, and to determine the pattern of microbial recovery within the
first year after fire. The effects of fire at three slope positions were also determined. Three plots in each of the burnt
and unburnt areas, measuring 10 × 10 m, were established. The first plot was located at the valley bottom, the second plot
was located at the middle slope, and the third plot was located at the ridge. Analysis showed that for all parameters studied,
the three plots in the unburnt area did not differ significantly and so they were treated as one control plot. The microbial
biomass, abundance, and diversity structure in the unburnt and burnt plots showed significant differences. The unburnt area
had the highest biomass carbon, abundance, and diversity, followed by the valley bottom, the middle slope, and then the ridge
in the burnt area, and significant differences in the burnt plots were found between the valley bottom, the middle slope,
and the ridge. The microbial diversity in the burnt area differed from that of the unburnt area, the microbial diversity being
significantly lower in the burnt area, and the ridge was shown to have been the most affected by fire.