Small-scale fire refugia increase soil bacterial and fungal richness and increase community cohesion nine years after fire
25 January 2025
Summary
The latest research from the Yosemite Forest Dynamics Plot highlights the important role of small fire refugia in sustaining soil microbiota after fire. These unburned patches serve as lifeboats for microbial life, with distinct fungal and bacterial communities still persisting nine years later. The findings underscore the long-term ecological value of these refugia within burned landscapes.
Highlights
- Refugia had notably distinct microbial communities nine years after fire
- Refugia had 19% greater bacterial and 31% fungal richness, relative to burned soil
- Burned soils had less robust microbial association networks than refugia
- Fire intensity and severity influenced microbial composition nine years after fire
- Pathogens comprised a larger portion of burned communities relative to refugia
Citation
Joseph D. Birch, James A. Lutz, Matthew B. Dickinson, James Franklin, Andrew J. Larson, Mark E. Swanson, Jessica R. Miesel. Small-scale fire refugia increase soil bacterial and fungal richness and increase community cohesion nine years after fire. Science of The Total Environment 966 (2025): .