Post-fire recovery of soil organic carbon, soil total nitrogen, soil nutrients, and soil erodibility in rotational shifting cultivation in Northern Thailand

• DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2023.1117427
• Publication Date: 2023-03-27T04:32:26Z
• Authors: Noppol Arunrat; Sukanya Sereenonchai; Praeploy Kongsurakan; Chuleemas Boontha...; Monthira Yuttitham; Ryusuke Hatano
• Keywords: Topsoil; Soil carbon

The hill tribes in Thailand traditionally depend on rotational shifting cultivation (RSC). However, insufficient understanding remains post-fire soil properties and erodibility ( k -values) with fallow years. To address this gap, the levels of organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (STN), nutrients, after fire RSC were investigated. Topsoil (0–10 cm) samples from sites 4 (RSC-4Y), 5 (RSC-5Y), 7 (RSC-7Y) years Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand, taken at four time points: before burning, min 9 months 2 burning. Soil pH, electrical conductivity, nutrient (available P, K, Ca) increased burning remained higher than pre-burning for least SOC stock decreased all fields. At RSC-4Y was whereas RSC-5Y RSC-7Y, had not reached pre-fire levels. STN stocks studied fields significantly After topsoil most susceptible to erosion. only RSC-4Y, -value unchanged Three different approaches are recommended land management: 1) farmers should cut remove weeds grasses surface, 2) be performed around late winter or early summer (November–February) inhibit complete combustion, 3) contour-felled log erosion barriers made by using trunks remaining trap sediment slow down surface runoff.