Effect of repeated soil heating at different temperatures on microbial activity in two burned soils.

The effect of fire severity and recurrence on the recovery of enzymatic activities (β-glucosidase, urease, acid phosphatase) and bacterial activity was monitored. Unburned and burned soil samples from soil affected by a high severity wildfire and by a low severity experimental fire were subjected in laboratory to a temperature gradient to simulate different fire severities. These samples were subjected to a second laboratory heat treatment to simulate the effect of recurrence.