2026/06/01 by Nana Afua Gyau Frimpong, Jacob Huerta, Ryan Webb · 1 voice
Environmental Science · #Fire effects on ecosystems #Landslides and related hazards #Rangeland and Wildlife Management
paper · doi:10.17221/26/2026-swr
openalex publication_date 2026/06/01 · openalex created_date 2026/06/02 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
<br>Wildfires can greatly impact the hydraulic properties of soil. This study aims to utilise laboratory experiments to simulate burned soil conditions under a range of slope angles and rainfall intensities to address the research question: How does the presence of ash after the first rainfall event impact the hydraulic properties of burned soil in complex terrain? Sandy loam soils for this study were sourced from a mixed conifer forested area in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado, USA. Measurements of soil hydraulic properties in experimental microplots were taken (1) before burning, (2) after burning, and (3) 24 hours after a rainfall simulation. A total of 15 experimental microplots with ash applied were run through rainfall simulations at slope angles ranging from 10 to 30. Results found ash eroded had no significant relation to slope angle, but there was a significant reduction in field saturated hydraulic conductivity of samples with ash after rainfall simulations. To build on the findings presented here, future research should conduct field-based studies across various ecosystems and soil types to observe post-fire soil changes over time.