Soil changes after a fire event in a páramo ecosystem: Los Nevados Natural National Park, Colombia

A fire event occurred in 2006, affected about 2400 ha of Paramo ecosystems located on the surroundings areas of Otun lagoon (4 ° 46’ 58.4” N y 75° 24’ 26.8”W'| in the Nevados Natural National Park,Colombia. Because of the worth of this arm associated with the supplie of ecosystems services and the need lbr finding variables as indicators of soil conditions, in areas affected and non-affected by fire physical and chemical properties of soils were evaluated. The soil assessment was conducted out in arms where restoration strategies had been implemented and on two geomorphologic positions (Valleysandhills]. Samples for monitoring soil swered one at once of the fire,twoyears (2008) and three years (2009) later. To identify differences in soil characteristics evaluated between sites affected and non-affected, topographic positions and restoration treatments, a nonparametric test Kruskal-Wallis was applied. Subsequently, using the correlation codficient of Spearman the relationships between variables were analyzed. Soils of valley positions were drastically affected and more than 50% organic matter was lost. Consequently, physical properties of soils such as bulk density and structural stability were also deteriorated. Three years after the implementation of restoration activities, there are not evidences of the improvement of soils conditions; in fact, some properties tend to be more deteriorated. Results obtained in this study permit to elucidate some variables which could be used as indicators lbr monitoring programs with emphasis on this raource. Also, the fragility of Paramo ecosystems is showed by means of soils deterioration. The restoration of soils properties affected by fire is indeed a very slow process even beyond of the time used in this study. In hot, to determine the effect of restoration strategies and to define those more adequate might take a long time. Therefore, it is imperative to avoid any activity or event capable of generating deterioration of this strategic ecosystem.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Camargo García, Juan Carlos, Dossman, Miguel Ángel, Rodríguez, José Alexander, Arias, Ligia María, Galvis Quintero, Jesús Hernando
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	spa eng
Published:	Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Palmira 2012
Online Access:	https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/acta_agronomica/article/view/35618
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