Influences of fire on forest soil fungal communities

Wildfires and prescribed burns constitute widespread and potentially destructive disturbances in forest ecosystems. Fire-related effects on aboveground ecosystem components are well established, and it is known that fire can have both a direct and an indirect influence on the edaphic environment, but the effects of fire on soil-dwelling fungi are poorly understood. We review the disparate literature relating to fire effects on soil fungi, with emphasis on forest environments. A variety of effects have been reported, including altered fungal community structure along with increased or decreased mycorrhizal colonization of roots. Such effects, along with their duration, appear to be site- and (or) fire-specific, but are likely to be greater in the upper soil horizons. Where repeated burning occurs, the effects on soil fungal communities appear to be more pronounced with more frequent burning. Although fire may effect structural changes in soil fungal communities, the functional significance of such changes at the ecosystem level remains difficult to assess.