Fire can affect microbial community structure of soil via altered environmental conditions, nutrient availability, and biotic source for microbial re-colonization. This study was carried out to provide the basic informations for effective restoration of burned forest soil via analyzing biological and chemical properties of burned soil in Hamyang, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea.
Soil pH was 5.81 in reforestation site, 5.78 in natural restoration site and 5.25 in control site. The contents of soil organic matter, total N and available P in reforestation, natural restoration and control site were 3.57%, 0.16% and 6.23 ppm, 2.26%, 0.11% and 5.58 ppm, and 2.02%, 0.09% and 5.82 ppm, respectively. CEC and the contents of Ca2+, K+. Na+ were also higher in reforestation site than other sites
Aerobic bacteria in reforestation and natural restoration and control site was 53.4±6.4, 46.2±4.6, 30.2±3.2×104 cfu/g, which that of burned soils was higher than control site. Actinomycetes was 68.7±5.6×104 cfu/g in reforestation site, 55.1±7.1×104 cfu/g in natural restoration site and 48.9±4.2×104 cfu/g in control site. Fungi was 120.6±8.1×104 cfu/g in reforestation site, 113.7±5.9×104 cfu/g in natural restoration site and 69.4±4.1×104 cfu/g in control site.
β-glucosidase activity was higher in the reforestation site of 261 ㎍ PNP g-1 h-1, acid phosphatase activity decreased with increasing the pH, alkaline phosphatase activity increased with increasing of soil pH. Urease activity in reforestation site where is higher content of total nitrogen was 11.9 ㎍ NH4-N g-1h-1 which that of reforestation site was higher than other sites.
NH4+-N concentration in restoration site was higher than other site, which those in reforestation, natural restoration and control site were 5.4, 4.9 and 3.4 mg/kg. NO3?-N concentration was scarcely detected or very little at the study site, which those in reforestation, natural restoration and control site were 0.10, 0.09 and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively.
Nitrogen mineralization (ammonification) was 24.6 mg/kg in reforestation site, 22.1 mg/kg in natural reforestation site, and 13.4 mg/kg in control site. And, nitrification rate was generally very low, which those in reforestation, natural restoration and control site were 0.94, 0.78 and 0.23 mg/kg, respectively.