Wildfire effects on lipid composition and hydrophobicity of bulk soil and soil size fractions under Quercus suber cover (SW-Spain).

Wildfire effects on lipid composition and hydrophobicity of bulk soil and soil size fractions under Quercus suber cover (SW-Spain). Environ Res. 2017 Aug 25;159:394-405 Authors: Jiménez-Morillo NT, Spangenberg JE, Miller AZ, Jordán A, Zavala LM, González-Vila FJ, González-Pérez JA Abstract Soil water repellency (hydrophobicity) prevents water from wetting or infiltrating soils, triggering changes in the ecosystems. Fire may develop, enhance or destroy hydrophobicity in previously wettable or water-repellent soils. Soil water repellency is mostly influenced by the quality and quantity of soil organic matter, particularly the lipid fraction. Here we report the results of a study on the effect of fire on the distribution of soil lipids and their role in the hydrophobicity grade of six particle size fractions (2-1, 1-0.5, 0.5-0.25, 0.25-0.1, 0.1-0.05 and <0.05mm) of an Arenosol under Quercus suber canopy at the Doñana National Park (SW-Spain). Hydrophobicity was determined using water drop penetration time test. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used to assess the presence and morphology of the inorganic and organic soil components in the particle size fractions. Soil lipids were Soxhlet extracted with a dichloromethane-methanol mixture. Fatty acids (FAs) and neutral lipids were separated, derivatized, identified and quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/flame ionization ...
Source: Environmental Research - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Environ Res Source Type: research