Locate full-text(opens in a new window)|View at Publisher| Export | Download | More... Environmental Earth Sciences 20 May 2015, 11p Wildfire effects on ash composition and biological properties of soils in forest–steppe ecosystems of Russia ( Articles not published yet, but available online Article in press About articles in press (opens in a new window) ) Maksimova, E.ab , Abakumov, E.ab a Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation b Institute of Ecology of Volga Basin, Togliatti, Russian Federation Abstract Soils affected by forest wildfires in Russia in 2010 were studied in postfire and unburned plots near Togljatty city, Samara region. The microbial biomass, basal respiration of the soil, and the ash composition dynamics were investigated under the effect of forest fires during the 3 years at the site of a surface forest fire, a crown forest fire site, and a site unaffected by fire as a control (unburned). Soil samples were collected at 0–15 cm. The analyti