Abstract

This study was carried out to prove the factor properties of the soil affected by a forest fire through the physical and chemical analysis and the data from the conclusion of those analysis are applied to the development of technics that reduces a forest fire-induced 2nd damage. The forest fire was in December 2000 at Gangreung city and Donghae city, Gangwon provinces, Korea. Soil samples were collected at upper layers (0-5 cm) and bottom layers (5-40 cm) in November 2001 from the burned and control sites. Values of pH in burned soils of the upper layers affected by forest fire are higher than those in control soils. Both the fragments of fire-burned plant and differences of geological properties are resulted in a class of soil. Contents of organic matters in burned soils are higher than those in control soils, exceptionally the contents of organic matters in burned soils that contain coaly shale are lower than those in control soils. Weathering indices in burned soils are higher than those in control soils and it concerned with loss of soil. Iron ions (Fe²⁺ or Fe³⁺) are easily extracted from the burned soils by rainfall, but Mn ions are straightly exist in the burned soils by physiochemical adsorption of colloid. Through the sequential extraction in the burned soils and control soils, we are certificate the extraction of Fe ions and the disturbance of Mn ions from the burned soils. As a consequence of factor analysis in burned soil and control soil, we are certificate that the influence of forest fire results in a disturbance of positive correlation factors.

Keywords weathering indices, Iron ions, Mn ions, sequential extraction, factor analysis