In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Dr. Enright to explore the effects of mega-fires on soil microbiomes. Mega-fires, fires of tremendous size and intensity, have been increasing globally due to climate change, fire suppression practices, and developmental activities. These fires have significant implications for soil microbiomes, which play a critical role in plant regeneration and nutrient cycling post-fire.

Dr. Enright shares her team's unique research opportunities in the aftermath of the 2016 Soberanes mega-fire that severely affected established redwood–tanoak plots. Her study stands out as the first to scrutinize microbial fire response in redwood–tanoak forests, offering a wealth of insights into the transformation of the soil microbiome.

Join us as we discuss the compelling findings of their research, where they observed a substantial reduction in bacterial and fungal richness in burned plots while unburned plots remained unchanged. They found the fire selected for certain bacterial and fungal taxa that were phylogenetically conserved, indicating shared evolutionary traits that respond positively to fire.

We further delve into how their findings fit into a trait-based conceptual model that could help predict general microbial responses to fire. This is an intriguing discussion for anyone interested in understanding the complex interplay between mega-fires, climate change, and soil microbiomes.

Keywords: Dr. Enright, Mega-Fires, Soil Microbiome, Climate Change, Redwood-Tanoak Forests, Bacterial and Fungal Richness, Phylogenetically Conserved Taxa, Trait-Based Conceptual Model, Fire Ecology.

https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16399 Soil microbiomes are critical for post-fire plant regeneration. We build a framework to predict generalizable microbial responses to fire.