Temporal Evaluation of Soil Attributes in No-Tillage Areas After Burning in the Cerrado Biome, Brazil

Purpose This study aimed to (1) quantify the chemical attributes associated with soil fertility and the different fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) under no-tillage (NT) system areas at different time intervals after burning, and (2) measure the impact of burning on soil fertility and organic carbon fractions by comparing the data obtained with information from areas before the action of fire (reference time). Methods Two areas managed under the NT system that were affected by fires in 2020 in the Cerrado biome were evaluated. The areas had different implementation times: the NT07 area was implemented 7 years ago, in the transition phase, and the NT19 area was implemented 19 years ago, in the consolidation phase. Samples collected at four different times after burning (20, 40, 60, and 80 d) were used. Results In the NT19 area, the highest levels of Ca 2+ , K + , total carbon, total nitrogen, total organic carbon, particulate, and mineral-associated carbon were quantified compared with the NT07 area in the surface layer. Polynomial regression analysis showed significant temporal variations in the contents of chemical attributes and organic fractions of the SOM, especially in the fractions with higher lability in the area of the system in the transition phase. Conclusion The effect of fire was greater in the superficial layer (first 0.10 m depth), wherein greater changes were observed in the chemical attributes and organic matter fractions of the soil compared to the underlying layer (0.10–0.20 m). Burning influenced the dynamics of certain nutrients and the compartmentalization of soil organic matter throughout the 80 days of evaluation. We believe that the evaluation and temporal monitoring of soils in areas affected by fire, both natural and anthropogenic, are essential. These areas are intended for food production. Highlights i. The Cerrado biome was the most affected by fires in Brazil in 2020, affecting an area of ± 139,649 km 2 . ii. Fire can cause negative impacts on soil attributes. iii. Fire can increase atmospheric gas emissions, contributing to global warming. iv. No-tillage systems in more advanced stages are more resilient against burning. Graphical Abstract