Sensitivity of glomalin-related soil protein to wildfires: Immediate and medium-term changes

Forest fires are part of many ecosystems, especially in the Mediterranean Basin. Depending on the fire severity, they can be a great disturbance, so it is of special importance to know their impact on the ecosystem elements. In this study, we measured the sensitivity of glomalin related soil protein (GRSP), a glycoprotein produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), to fire perturbation. Two wildfire-affected areas in the SE Spain (Gata and Gorga) were studied. Soil organic carbon (SOC) was also measured. Effects on GRSP immediately after fire were analyzed in both areas, while in Gorga a monitoring of GRSP stocks over a year period after the fire was also carried out. Soil samplings were carried out every 4months. Plots (1×2m2) were installed beneath pines and shrubs in burned and an adjacent control area. Results of GRSP content immediately after a fire only showed significant differences for shrub plots (burned vs control) (p