Soil Mesofauna Responses to Fire Severity in a Sclerophyllous Forest in Central Chile

Abstract

Forest fires may have severe impacts on the aboveground biodiversity and soil chemical and biological properties. Edaphic organisms are highly sensitive to disturbances and are typically used to measure the magnitude of these events. Overall, little is known about the responses of these organisms to fires differing in their severity levels. This study aimed to assess the effect of fire severity on the soil mesofauna community diversity and structure in a site located in a Mediterranean zone of central Chile. In postfire conditions, we use spectral indexes from satellite images to map fire severity at four levels (non-damage (ND), low damage (L), medium damage (M), high damage (H)). Soil samples were collected at each severity level, and the mesofauna abundance was quantified. Although the metrics describing species diversity and dominance were similar among fire severity levels, the abundance and composition of the mesofauna were specifically altered at the high severity level. The edaphic mesofauna can be considered suitable bioindicators to evaluate the postfire ecosystem recovery, especially in the areas highly damaged by fire.