Properties of Forested Loess Soils After Repeated Prescribed Burns

摘要

Nine annual burns have had little effect on the nutrient content and structure of the surface 4 inches of loess soils on flat terrain. Because prescribed burns must often be repeated to obtain desired results, many foresters are apprehensive about the possible deleterious effects on soils. In 1954 the Timber Management Laboratory at Crossett, Arkansas, in cooperation with the Crossett Division of,Georgia- Pacific Corporation, undertook a study of repeated burns in shortleaf-loblolly pine stands. The primary objective was to compare the efficacy of annual and biennial burns in eradicating small understory hardwoods. This note reports effects of the fires on the nutrient content and physical structure of the surface 4 inches of soil as measured after 10 years.