On May 9, Beijing time, according to foreign media reports, scientists found microorganisms in the soil charred by wildfire. They don't know why some fungi and bacteria can survive in the high-temperature flame when all other organisms can be burned to death At present, scientists will study how soil microorganisms respond to fires and the role of these microorganisms in storing or emitting important greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in the next three years
The study was funded by US $849000. We know little about which micro organisms will respond to fire, why, or how they affect other environments. At present, we want to know how the residual fungi and bacteria after fire affect greenhouse gas emissions in soil.
To answer these questions, environmental scientists will take soil samples from two fire areas. They will test whether the residual microorganisms in the soil samples have the characteristics of promoting the vigorous growth of plants after the disaster.
One of the characteristics is the ability of rapid reproduction. After the fire, some living space will be opened. If some creatures reproduce asexually, they can reproduce at a very fast speed and survive in the regional space after the fire.
The second feature is the ability to "eat" charred food. The flame turns trees into charcoal, leaves into wax, and releases a large amount of nitrogen during combustion. Most microorganisms do not like high concentrations of nitrogen, however, the researchers believe that a small number of microorganisms may still feed on charcoal, nitrogen or wax.
In addition, some plants can tolerate high temperature conditions, and microorganisms may also have such characteristics. There is evidence that spores are heat-resistant and even need high-temperature heating to reproduce.
Future research projects will not only focus on the characteristics of microorganisms after fire, but also study whether the addition of fungi and bacteria to the soil after fire will help to restore its ecosystem. In another independent but related study, researchers tried to understand the effect of frequent spraying of flame retardants on the forest floor. The phosphorus and nitrogen deposited by some chemicals of flame retardants can last for decades. At present, scientists do not know how this affects the micro organisms in nature.
Fire has a strong impact on soil chemical composition, and the main factor causing these effects is microorganisms. Microorganisms will transform carbon and nitrogen after fire and create conditions for breeding new life. This is why we think it is very important to understand this process.