Forest fires as a factor of formation of soil animal communities

К. В. Gongalsky

A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution,
Russian Academy of Science
Leninskii prosp. 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
e-mail: kocio@mail.ru

Forest fires usually destroy the most of soil animals. However due to the heterogeneity of soil cover some animals can survive in the partially burned patches (refugia). These groups along with the inhabitants of deep soil layers are the first to colonize burned areas. Nevertheless, the leading role in colonization of the burned areas belongs to obligate pyrophilous groups, adapted to discover burned areas and inhabit them. These, mostly saprovorous, groups develop thanks to the plenty of easily available resources (fungi and other microorganisms developing on pyrogenic mineralized organic remains) and lack of competition during first two years after the fire. They are replaced later by the phytophagous and saprovorous groups (facultative pyrophils), which are more successful in competition and gaining burned areas. Once the litter layer reestablished, the groups of other animals not occurring on the newly burned areas colonize them. A large part of those are predators. Fire severity is the most important factor regulating recovery of soil-living animal communities on the burned areas.