Comparing the Effects of Prescribed Burning on Soil Chemical Properties in East Texas Forests with Longleaf and Other Southern Pines in the Overstory

Little has been reported on the effects of repeated prescribed burning southern United States’ forest soils, especially when site preparation is not fire objective. This study was aimed at identifying any correlations between soil chemical properties among differing burn intervals and them. Sampling performed in 36 plots three sites with two different (2–3 years biannually) measured properties: (1) pre-burn (before fire), (2) post-burn (one month after (3) vegetation green-up (three months fire). Sites varied by overstory species longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) shortleaf echinata Mill.) one site, a mix loblolly (P taeda L.) another, pines third. SAS used to determine time spans (pre-burn post-burn, green-up, green-up) intervals. We found that there could be short-term responses from treatments including nitrogen forms ammonium nitrate, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, electrical conductivity, all which decreased following regardless species.