Geomorphological Processes and Human Impacts in River Basins (Proceedings of the International Conference held at Solsona, Catalonia, Spain, May 2004). IAHS Publ. 299, 2005, 37-45.

Abstract This paper reports on the changes in soil aggregate stability after a wildfire, with the focus on the effects of fire intensity on soil structure. The aggregate stability of soils burned at different fire intensities was tested using the TDI method. The samples were taken from three areas burned at three fire intensities and the results of the aggregates were compared with those from an unburned forest. The study area is located in the Cadiretes massif, northeast Spain. The analyses were undertaken just after the fire in 1994, and again in 1995 and 1997. The most stable aggregates compared to those from the control area were those sampled just after the fire. The disaggregation was highest in 1995 and lowest in 1997. The fire did not disturb the stability of the aggregates immediately after burning. After the fire the aggregates did not become unstable and, in contrast, they were even more stable than those sampled in the control forest.