Studying the Effect of Forest Fire on Soil Erosion and Loss of Some Mineral Elements in the Forest of Ein Al-Jaouz/Tartous


Abstract in English

This research aims at evaluating the effect of fire on the erosion of burned forest soils after rainfall. The research was carried out during (2010/2011) in a pine forest near the village of Ein Al-Jaouz at an altitude of 900m, north east Tartous governorate. The forest had a fire in October 2009. Ten metal plots (2m2 each plot) were used to evaluate soil erosion, five plots in the burned part of the forest and another five plots in the unburned part. The runoff coefficient, soil erosion rate, soil pH and rate of some mineral elements (Ca++, K+ , Mg++) were estimated and compared in the two parts. This study showed that the runoff coefficient was three times as great on the burned part as on the unburned part, and the rate of soil erosion was 7.22 Mg/ha in the burned part and 0.1Mg/ha in the unburned part. This shows the impact of fire in increasing soil erosion and runoff. This study also showed the difference in cation concentrations in the runoff water between the two parts. The study reveals the importance of protecting forests against fire. This is to limit soil erosion and its economic and environmental consequences.

References used

BENTLEY,J.R. & FENNER,R.L. Soil temperatures during burning related to postfire seedbeds on woodland range. Journal of Forestry 56, 1958,737-740
DE LUIS, M; GONZA´LEZ-HIDALGO, JC; & RAVENTO´S, J.Effcts of fir and torrnatial rainfall on erosion in meditrranan gorse community. Land Degrad. Develop 14,2003, 203–213
Elwell, H; Stoking, M. Vegetal cover to estimate soil erosion hazard in Rhodesia. Geoderma 15, 1976, 61–70

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