Compared to the unburned soils, the cumulative carbon mineralization data and carbon mineralization ratio in the burned soils were higher, and the spring fire had more significant influence on carbon mineralization than the autumn fire. Fires increased the microbial
metabolism in the post-burning period, resulting in higher carbon losses from the ecosystem compared to undisturbed ecosystem.Therefore, fires increased CO2 emissions to the atmosphere not only during the combustion process, but also for an extended postburning period.