Effect of Forest Fires on Soil Carbon Dynamics in Different Land Uses under NW Himalayas

Fires are regarded as features of forest disruption and renovation. The study was conducted to assess the fires effect on soil organic carbon (SOC) and microbial biomass carbon (SMB-C) in four land uses viz. forest land, grassland, agricultural land and non-fire site (control). PVC core were used for sampling soils at 0-5, 5-10 and 10-15 cm depths. SOC levels were found to be reduced post fire in all sites. Significant reductions were observed in SMB-C accumulations. However, SOC and SMB-C contents increased again with passage of time in all the sites. Grasslands samples, attained highest values of SOC (1.34 %) followed by 1.29 per cent in agricultural land at 10-15 cm depth. The maximum SMB-C of 172.20 μg C/g soil was in forest land at 0-5 cm depth and later was found to be decreased with increase in depth. Higher rates of carbon and microbial biomass accumulations were observed during the spring and rainy seasons. Therefore, prescribed burning of surface litter at right time could be a superior approach to avoid the fatal loss caused by wildfires and for better re-germination of plant species.