Molecular level descriptors of the effect of tire on soils under pine forest in continental Mediterranean soils

Abstract

The relatively frequent occurrence of wildfires in Mediterranean ecosystems is favoured by hot summer temperatures in addition to the historical reforestation with pyrophytic forest species such as most types of rapid growing conifers used in the second half of the past century. Concerning soil organic matter, it has been demonstrated that fire leads to progressive decarboxylation, dehydration and deakylation of the humic and fulvic acids which, in turn, lead to insoluble polyaromatic macromolecular substances (humin-like).