Short-term responses of soil nitrogen mineralization, nitrification and denitrification to prescribed burning in a suburban forest ecosystem of subtropical Australia

Nitrogen (N) transformation rates and functional gene abundances in forest soils altered substantially within the first 3 months after prescribed burning. Net N mineralization rates were best described by soil abiotic properties. In contrast, potential denitrification rates were positively related to soil nirK gene abundances. Potential nitrification rates could be influenced by both soil chemical and microbial properties.119