times by the end of the 21st century (Flannigan et al., 2005; Balshi
et al., 2009; Euskirchen et al., 2009). Increases in boreal wildfire
activity that result from climate warming may alter soil C stocks in
boreal forests through direct and indirect mechanisms. Combustion
of surface soils is a direct mechanism through which boreal forest
fires alter soil C stocks. Indirectly, longer term changes in soil C
stocks that result from increased boreal forest fires will be primarily
mediated by post-fire changes in microbial decomposition.