Beech leaves dont burn

A charred pine cone lies on the ground of a mixed beech-pine forest following a forest fire in the Rax-Schneeberg region of Austria in 2021. The charred pine cone and litter are surrounded by unburned yellow beech leaves that fell to the ground after the surface fire.

Pyrogenic carbon such as the charred pine cone can remain stable in the environment for extended periods of time and can affect biogeochemical processes in fire-affected soils by altering pH, redox conditions, and organic matter composition.