Mallikarjun, Jhenkhar; Gorbushina, Anna A; Kuzyakov, Yakov; Koester, Moritz; Castro, Rodrigo; Yudina, Anna; Matus, Francisco; Dippold, Michaela Anna (2025): Post-fire soil physical and chemical properties, temperate and mediterranean ecosystem of Chile [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.982516

This dataset comprises detailed measurements of soil physical and chemical properties from Mediterranean woodlands (La Campana) and humid temperate forests (Nahuelbuta) in Chile, collected along a 14-year post-fire chronosequence. Additionally, long-term unburnt reference sites—59 years for Nahuelbuta and 39 years for La Campana—were included for comparison. The data include soil physical properties, such as bulk density, measured gravimetrically for soil depths of 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm, and soil texture, with particle size distribution (clay, silt, sand fractions) determined using laser diffraction for depths of 0-2 cm, 2-5 cm, and 5-10 cm. For soil chemical properties, pH was measured in soil-water suspensions (1:2.5 ratio) for depths of 0-2 cm, 2-5 cm, and 5-10 cm. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks were quantified using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) for soil and litter horizons, while stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N values) for soil and litter horizons provide insights into organic matter sources and nitrogen cycling processes. Nutrient stocks, including concentrations of base cations (Ca, Mg, K), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), and trace elements (Fe, Mn, Al), were measured via inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for soil and litter horizons. Fire history (years post-fire) was derived from MODIS and VIIRS satellite data, which provided fire occurrence and timing information- used to select study sites in Nahuelbuta and La Campana. Mean annual precipitation is 1084 mm in Nahuelbuta and 436 mm yr⁻¹ in La Campana, while mean annual temperatures are 6.6 °C and 14.1 °C, respectively. The dominant soil types are Umbrisols in Nahuelbuta and Cambisols in La Campana. This dataset offers a valuable resource for studying post-fire soil recovery dynamics and ecosystem resilience.