The University of British Columbia
UBC - A Place of Mind
The University of British Columbia
Faculty of Land and Food SystemsMaster of Land and Water Systems (MLWS)
  • Home
  • Program
    • Program Overview
    • Courses
    • Meet Our Current Students
    • Scholarships, Awards + Funding
    • People
    • News & Events
  • Admissions
  • Student Projects
    • Project Collection
    • Project Spotlight Videos
    • Project Syllabus
    • Professional Supervisors
  • Careers
    • Career Paths
    • Career Resources
  • FAQ

A Review of Wildfire Effects on Soils, Hydrologic Processes and Water

October 15, 2021

A Review of Wildfire Effects on Soils, Hydrologic Processes and Water

Jingyi Cheng, MLWS 2021

Wildfire is a natural process that has happened regularly for millions of years and brings both positive and negative impacts to the forest environment. In recent decades, climate change has become a critical element in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires globally. Climate change increases temperature and reduces precipitation, extending the fire season and expanding the burning area. Wildfire affects soil physical properties (e.g. texture, colour, pH, hydrophobicity), chemical properties (e.g. organic matter, macro and micro-nutrients), as well as soil biota (e.g. invertebrates and micro-organisms). Intense wildfires further cause infiltration rate reduction and high surface runoff. Ash and sediments transported with surface runoff contaminate water quality, resulting in damage to the aquatic organisms and drinking water treatment issues. Effects of wildfire on forest soil, hydrologic processes and water are site-specific and complex. The extent of wildfire impacts depends on the intensity and severity of the fire, burning season, pre-fire and post-fire environmental conditions, climate pattern, vegetation types and many other factors. Studies of wildfire effects are diverse, but comprehensive reviews that assemble findings in the three fields are still lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to review the wildfire effects on forest soil, the hydrologic processes and water quality based on existing literature.
all-projects ubc mlws

Read More | No Comments

Contact Us

Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS)
Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Vancouver Campus
2357 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4
Email: mlws.program@ubc.ca

Visit our FAQ page to learn more.

Read FAQ
Join MLWS by applying Now!
Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS)
Faculty of Land and Food Systems
2357 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T1Z4
Website lfs-mlws-2020.sites.olt.ubc.ca
Email mlws.program@ubc.ca
Find us on
    
Back to top
The University of British Columbia
  • Emergency Procedures |
  • Terms of Use |
  • Copyright |
  • Accessibility