Due to the ongoing global change, forests are experiencing increasing risks of wildfire frequency and intensity. Severe fires, which burn much of the organic matter and whose frequency will be likely stimulated by climate change, decrease ecosystem primary productivity, release high amounts of C, decrease soil C and N availability and dramatically change ecosystem composition. Fire has multiple effects on soil microbiome: shifts in mineral nutrient carbon source availabilities and have profound effects on microbial biomass composition of microbial communities and, consequently, microbe-mediated ecosystem processes. Compared to fungi, bacteria are less affected by forest fires. For certain time, specific post-fire microbial communities develop. The recovery to pre-fire conditions often takes up to several decades. To better understand the consequences of wildfires and wildfire severity on soil microbial process, we plan to establish long term monitoring sites and run various field and greenhouse experiments on sites in Bohemian Switzerland recently affected by a large-scale wildfire.
Thematic areas
BiodiversityProject contribution to Mission Soil’s:
Specific objectives
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1. Reduce land degradation relating to desertification
Not targeted -
2. Conserve and increase soil organic carbon stocks
Not targeted -
3. No net soil sealing and increase the reuse of urban soils
Not targeted -
4. Reduce soil pollution and enhance restoration
Partially targeted -
5. Prevent erosion
Not targeted -
6. Improve soil structure to enhance habitat quality for soil biota and crops
Partially targeted -
7. Reduce the EU global footprint on soils
Not targeted -
8. Increase soil literacy in society across Member States
Not targeted
Operational objectives
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1. Build capacities and the knowledge base for soil stewardship
Not targeted
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2. Co-create and upscale place-based innovations to improve soil health in all places
Not targeted
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3. Develop an integrated EU soil monitoring system and track progress towards soil health
Partially targeted
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4. Engage with the soil user community and society at large
Not targeted
Innovation hotspots
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1. Carbon farming
Not targeted
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2. Soil pollution and restoration
Not targeted
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3. Soil biodiversity including the microbiome
Targeted
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4. Circular economy solutions
Not targeted
Cross-cutting dimensions
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1. Business
Not targeted
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2. Digital
Not targeted
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3. Territorial
Not targeted
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4. International
Not targeted
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