Abstract
Dehydrogenase activity, cellulose decomposition, nitrification, and CO2 release were measured for 2 years to estimate the effects of a wildfire over a phryganic ecosystem. In decomposers' subsystem we found that fire mainly affected the nitrification process during the whole period, and soil respiration for the second post-fire year, when compared with the control site. Our data suggest that after 3–4 months the activity of microbial decomposers is almost the same at the two sites, suggesting that fire is not a catastrophic event, but a simple perturbation common to Mediterranean-type ecosystems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arianoutsou M, Margaris NS (1981) Fire-induced nutrient losses in a phryganic (East Mediterranean) ecosystem. Int J. Biometeor 25(4):341–347
Barker AV (1974) Nitrate determination in soil, water and plants. Mass Agric Exp Stn Bull 611:5–9
Christensen NL (1973) Fire and the nitrogen cycle inAdenostoma chaparral. Science 181:66–68
Christensen NL, Muller CH (1975) Effects of fire on factors controlling plant growth inAdenostoma chaparral. Ecol Monogr 45:29–55
Clark FE (1970) Decomposition of organic materials in grassland soil. Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, Colorado (US IBP Grassland Biome Tech Rep 61)
Clark FE, Coleman DC (1972) Secondary productivity below ground in Pawnee grassland. Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, Colorado (US IBP Grassland Biome Tech Rep 169)
Coleman DC (1973) Soil carbon balance in a successional grassland. Oikos 24:195–199
Dunn PH, DeBano LF (1977) Fire's effect on biological and chemical properties of chaparral soils. Proceedings of the Symposium on the Environmental Consequences of Fire and Fuel Management in Mediterranean Ecosystems, Palo Alto, California, pp 75–84
Herman RP, Kucera CL (1975) Vegetation management and microbial function in a tallgrass prairie. Iowa State J Res 50:255–260
Imshenetsky AA (1968) Decomposition of cellulose in the soil. In: Gray TR, Parkinson D (eds) The ecology of soil bacteria. Liverpool University Press, Liverpool, pp 256–269
Jenkinson DS(1966) Studies on the decomposition of plant material in soil. II. Partial sterilization and the soil biomass. J Soil Sci 17:280–302
Lenhard D (1955) Die Dehydrogenaseaktivität des Bodens als Mass fur Microorganismentätigkeit im Boden. Z Pflanzenernähr Dung Bodenkd 73:1–11
MacFadyen A (1970) Soil metabolism in relation to ecosystem energy flow and to primary and secondary production. In: Phillipson J (ed) Methods of study in soil ecology. UNESCO, Paris, pp 167–171
Margaris NS (1976) Structure and dynamics in a phryganic (East Mediterranean) ecosystem. J. Biogeogr 3:249–259
Parkinson D, Gray TRG, Williams ST (1971) Methods for studying the ecology of soil microorganisms. Blackwell, Oxford (IBP Handbook No 19)
Phillipson J (ed) (1971) Methods of study in quantitative soil ecology. Blackwell, Oxford (IBP Handbook No 18)
Rundel PW (1975) Ecological impact of fires on mineral and sediment pools and fluxes. In: Agee JK (ed) Fire and fuel management in Mediterranean-climate ecosystems: Research priorities and programmes. UNESCO, Paris (MAB Technical Note 11)
Skujins J (1973) Dehydrogenase: an indicator of biological activities in arid soils. In: Rosswall T (ed) Modern methods in the study of microbial ecology. Bull Ecol Res Comm 17:235–241
Witkamp M (1966) Rates of carbon dioxide evolution from the forest floor. Ecology 47:492–494
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arianoutsou-Faraggitaki, M., Margaris, N.S. Decomposers and the fire cycle in a phryganic (East Mediterranean) ecosystem. Microb Ecol 8, 91–98 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02011465
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02011465