Impacts of wildfire on soil microbiome in Boreal environments

The temperature changes for the future climate are predicted to be the most pronounced in boreal and arctic regions, affecting the stability of permafrost and fire dynamics of these areas. Fires can affect soil microbiome (archaea, bacteria, fungi, and protists) directly via generated heat, whereas fire-altered soil properties have an indirect effect on soil microbiome. Fires usually decrease microbial biomass and alter microbial community composition. These changes can take decades to recover to prefire states. As the fire occurrence times are expected to change in the future, and the fire return intervals, intensity, and severity are expected to increase in boreal environments, the fire-related changes in the soil microbiome, including its recovery and resilience, are inevitable.

Automated summary

The predicted temperature changes for future climate will have the most pronounced effects on boreal and arctic regions, impacting the stability of permafrost and fire dynamics in these areas. This will lead to changes in soil microbiome and its recovery and resilience as fire occurrence times shift and fire return intervals, intensity, and severity increase in boreal environments.