Pyrogenic changes in microelement content in soils and plants from the pine forests of western Transbaikal

The pyrogenic transformation of the microelement content in soils and plants from western Transbaikal (Republic of Buryatia) has been studied. As is found, ground fires, under the studied conditions, lead to the transformation of soil properties and slightly elevated concentrations of Mn, Zn, Cu, and Pb in the surface soil (0–40 cm) and and Mn, Zn, and Pb in plants. It has been also found that the soil Fe: Mn ratio becomes lower. A pyrogenic transformation of vegetation and the soil properties, the elemental composition in particular, is shown to be traced over several years after the fire.