Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Partitioning of soil respiration in a trenching experiment in the sub-alpine forests of China

Author(s):

Shuzheng Luo ^{1, 2}, Guohua Liu ^{1 *}, Zongshan Li ¹

Recieved Date: 2013-11-29, Accepted Date: 2014-01-23

Abstract:

In order to measure soil respiration (R_S) and quantify percentage contributions from its different components, no litter plots, control plots and no litter-no root plots were established in a secondary birch forest and a primary fir forest in China. Soil CO₂ efflux was measured with a Li-Cor 8100 (Li-Cor, Nebraska, USA) portable infrared gas analyser in June, 2010 and in July and September, 2011. Our results showed that the mean soil respiration rate was 2.84 ± 0.42 (mean ± SE) µmol CO₂ m^-2s^-1 in the secondary birch forest and 2.04 ± 0.07 µmol CO₂ m^-2s^-1 in the primary fir forest over our measurement period. Soil respiration rate had a significant exponential regression relationship with soil temperature, but was not significantly correlated with soil water content in the two forests. Soil temperature accounted for 69.5% and 34.9% of the variation in soil respiration in the secondary birch forest and the primary fir forest, respectively. The contribution of autotrophic respiration (R_A) to R_S averaged 16% in the secondary birch forest and 23% in the primary fir forest over our measurement period. In contrast, in the secondary birch forest, the contribution of heterotrophic respiration (R_H) to R_S averaged 84%, of which 67% originated from soil organic matter (SOM) and 17% from litter. In the primary fir forest, the contribution of R_H to R_S averaged 77%, of which 57% originated from SOM and 20% from litter. Obviously, heterotrophic rather than autotrophic respiration was the dominant component of soil respiration. In addition, R_H mainly derived from its belowground part.

Keywords:

Soil respiration, soil temperature, the secondary birch forest, the primary fir forest, trenching

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2014
Volume: 12
Issue: 1
Category: Environment
Pages: 368-373

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :