@article{fdi:010083232,
  title = {{L}ong-term (64 years) annual burning lessened soil organic carbon and nitrogen content in a humid subtropical grassland},
  author = {{A}bdalla, {K}. and {C}hivenge, {P}. and {C}iais, {P}. and {C}haplot, {V}incent},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}urning has commonly been used to increase forage production and nutrients cycling in grasslands. {H}owever, its long-term effects on soil organic carbon ({SOC}) and nitrogen ({N}) pools within the aggregates and the relation between aggregates-associated {SOC} and soil {CO}2 emissions need further appraisal. {T}his study evaluated the effects of 64 years of annual burning on {SOC} and {N} dynamics compared to annual mowing and undisturbed treatments in a grassland experiment established in 1950. {S}oils were sampled from four depths representing the upper 30 cm layer and fractionated into macroaggregates, microaggregates and silt + clay fractions. {T}he macroaggregates were further fractionated into three occluded fractions. {T}he {SOC} in the bulk soil and aggregates were correlated to soil {CO}2 effluxes measured under field conditions. {C}ompared to the undisturbed treatment, annual burning decreased aggregates stability, {SOC} and {N} in the upper 30 cm layer by 8%, 5% and 12%, respectively. {G}rassland mowing induced greater aggregates stability than burning only in the upper 5 cm. {B}urning also decreased {SOC} in the large macroaggregates (e.g., 0-5 cm) compared to mowing and the undisturbed grasslands but proportionally increased the microaggregates and their associated {SOC}. {S}oil {N} associated with aggregates decreased largely following grassland burning, for example, by 8.8-fold in the microaggregates within the large macroaggregates at 20-30 cm compared to the undisturbed grassland. {B}urning also increased soil {CO}2 emissions by 33 and 16% compared to undisturbed and mowing, respectively. {T}he combustion of fresh {C} and soil organic matter by fire is likely responsible for the low soil aggregation, high {SOC} and {N} losses under burned grassland. {T}hese results suggested a direct link between grass burning and {SOC} losses, a key component for escalating climate change severity. {T}herefore, less frequent burning or a rotation of burning and mowing should be investigated for sustainable grasslands management.},
  keywords = {annual mowing ; climate change ; grassland sustainability ; soil aggregates ; soil respiration ; {S}outh {A}frica ; {AFRIQUE} {DU} {SUD} ; {KWAZULU} {NATAL} {PROVINCE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{G}lobal {C}hange {B}iology},
  volume = {27},
  numero = {24},
  pages = {6436--6453},
  ISSN = {1354-1013},
  year = {2021},
  DOI = {10.1111/gcb.15918},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010083232},
}