Reduced N-Limitation and Increased In-Stream Productivity of Autotrophic Biofilms 5 and 15 Years After Severe Wildfire

The ecosystem services provided by forests are under threat as wildfire frequency and severity increase throughout the western US. Severe wildfire can change physical environments and biogeochemical processes in watersheds with lasting effects on watershed nutrient cycling. For example, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) export often increases following wildfire and can remain elevated for decades in severely burned watersheds. In this study, we investigated the effects of wildfire on stream biotic processing and watershed nutrient balance following two wildfires that burned along the Colorado Front Range. We evaluated stream water chemistry, nutrient limitation, benthic biomass, and stream metabolism along stream reaches within three burned and three unburned watersheds from July 26 to August 16, 2017. Although the two high-severity wildfires occurred 5 and 15 years prior to the study, the streams draining burned watersheds still had 23-times higher NO3-N concentrations than unburned watersheds, a trend that is consistent across seasons and throughout the 15-year post-fire record. Autotrophic nitrogen (N) limitation was reduced in the nitrate-rich burned streams. Consequently, autotrophic biomass and primary productivity were 2.5 and 20-times greater, respectively, in burned relative to unburned streams. Together, these data suggest that N supply from burned uplands exceeded the increase in stream N demand and was the primary cause of chronic, elevated NO3-N export from these severely burned watersheds. Accordingly, aquatic ecosystems within or downstream of burned watersheds may be susceptible to eutrophication and harmful algal blooms until vegetation recovery and plant nutrient demand reduce N supply to streams.

Automated summary

The study found that wildfires can lead to increased nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in watersheds, affecting biotic processing and nutrient balance. This can result in reduced nitrogen demand by plants, potentially causing eutrophication and harmful algal blooms in aquatic ecosystems.