A bottom-up perspective on how fire changes ecosystem biogeochemistry via plant-soil interactions

Background and Aims: The effect of fire on plants and soils cannot be viewed in isolation. Plant-soil interactions, and their role in determining the response of ecosystem to fire, has been a widely debated topic. Most studies describe patterns rather than the mechanisms that may lead to variable effects on soils across ecosystems. Methods: In this mini-review, we compile the literature on fire effects on soil processes to propose that a bottom-up framework considering plant-soil interactions is needed to explain the myriad of effects that fire has on soil biogeochemistry. Results: We highlight a number of processes that may be at play: (i) soil carbon saturation and mineral stabilization dynamics; (ii) nutrient-acquisition strategies (e.g., plant-microbial symbioses) and the emergence of biogeochemical feedbacks; (iii) physical soil changes that constrain carbon and nutrient turnover. We then highlight papers in this Special Issue on fire and plant-soil interactions that address these three processes to unpack how fire changes biogeochemical cycling in an ecosystem. Conclusion: We conclude that while shifts in plant biomass composition and inputs consistently influence soil properties across studies, increasing evidence shows the critical role of plant-soil interactions in determining belowground processes.