XVI International Botanical Congess

Abstract: A meta-analysis was used to synthesize experimental data of fire effects on ecosystem nitrogen cycles. This study concerned fuel nitrogen amount (FNA) and concentration (FNC), soil total nitrogen amount (SNA) and concentration (SNC), soil ammonium (NH4) and nitrate (NO3) concentration, in four vegetation types burned with four fuel types by three fire types. Ecosystem fires caused a significant reduction in FNA, with mean effect size (d+) of -1.414. Fires increased soil NH4 and NO3 concentrations significantly (d+ = 0.717, and 0.866, respectively). No significant influence of fire was found on FNC, SNA, SNC (d+ = -0.126, -0.020, and 0.026, respectively). There was a significant correlation between the effect sizes of fire on FNA and fuel consumption percentage, and between the effect sizes of fire on FNC and NH4 and time after fire.