森林演替和气候变暖对暖温带天然次生林植物根系呼吸的交互效应

为了揭示森林演替和气候变暖及交互过程对森林土壤自养呼吸和森林不同层次植物根系呼吸的影响,以关帝山不同演替阶段4种天然次生林(杨桦阔叶落叶林、油松针阔混交林、华北落叶松林和云杉林)为研究对象,于2016—2019年利用Li—6400便携式分析仪观测每种林型不同层次植物根系呼吸和土壤自养呼吸生长季的变化规律;同时采用温室加热法,模拟增温对土壤自养呼吸及各组分的影响。结果表明:(1)根系呼吸速率和土壤自养呼吸速率随演替的进行而降低。乔木层根系呼吸对土壤自养呼吸的贡献率随演替进行则显著上升,而灌木层和草本层的贡献率则显著下降。(2)增温显著提高了不同演替阶段自养呼吸速率,提高幅度为8.48%~8.76%,并随演替进行而升高。森林不同层次植物根系呼吸速率对增温的响应程度不同,其中增温显著提高了草本层和灌木层植物根系呼吸速率,提高幅度分别为10.88%~14.00%和8.37%~15.26%,而[JP]对乔木层植物根系呼吸速率作用则不显著。增温降低了土壤自养呼吸和乔木层根系呼吸的贡献率,则提高了草本层根系呼吸对土壤自养呼吸的贡献率。(3)增温和演替没有改变土壤自养呼吸及各组分在生长季变化规律,但演替和增温对土壤自养呼吸、草本层和灌木层植物根系呼吸有显著的耦合效应。综上所述,森林土壤自养呼吸和根系呼吸速率随演替进行具有降低的趋势,土壤自养呼吸速率、灌木层和草本层植物根系呼吸速率对增温响应程度显著,并且对演替和增温的交互过程有显著的耦合效应,为气候变暖背景下森林更新过程对森林土壤碳排放影响的研究提供数据支持和理论依据。     

不同施肥处理对黑土土壤呼吸的影响

基于中国科学院海伦生态实验站的长期定位试验,采用静态箱式法研究了玉米生长期间不同施肥处理对黑土土壤呼吸的影响。结果表明,在玉米生长期间,土壤呼吸速率表现出明显的季节性变化,分别在出苗后23、37、50、63、87、110 d出现峰值,其中最大峰值出现在出苗后第87天,其后土壤呼吸速率呈下降趋势,直到玉米收获,而根际呼吸速率的季节性变化规律与土壤呼吸相似,土体呼吸速率则主要受气温变化影响;玉米生长显著影响土壤呼吸,土壤呼吸速率的变化基本与玉米生长规律相一致,随生长而增加,随衰老而减小;施肥对土壤呼吸速率、根际呼吸速率有明显的影响,但对土体呼吸速率影响较小,从整个玉米生长期来看,NPKOM处理的土壤呼吸速率和根际呼吸速率最高,其中NPKOM处理土壤呼吸速率为C 27.5~474 mg m-2h-1,NPK处理和NP处理变化范围相近,分别为C 25.9~339 mg m-2h-1和C 29.5~358 mg m-2h-1,NK处理与CK处理变化范围分别为C 28.4~208 mg m-2h-1和C 22.1~184 mg m-2h-1;施肥对土壤呼吸量和根际呼吸量有显著的影响,表现为NPKOM>NPK>NP>CK>NK;在整个玉米生育期中,土壤呼吸累积量在拔节孕穗期和乳熟期出现两个峰值,表现为双峰曲线的变化规律,而土体呼吸累积量只在拔节孕穗期出现峰值,呈抛物线型,根际呼吸量在苗期最低,乳熟期最高,乳熟期后,根际呼吸量下降。     

华北平原冬麦田根呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献

用LI-6400便携式光合作用测量系统及LI-6400—09土壤呼吸室对冬小麦关键生长期农田土壤各组分呼吸速率进行了测定,并用根生物量外推法（RBE）和根去除法（RE）两种方法估算了根系呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献。结果表明：土壤各组分呼吸速率有明显的季节变化,土壤中根生物量解释了大约44％的土壤呼吸的季节变化;土壤各组分呼吸速率与5—10cm土壤温度关系密切,呈指数正相关,Q10值为1．4～1．6;用根生物量外推法（RBE）得到的根呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献为18％～54．3％、平均值为32％,比根去除法（RE）得到的贡献率（32．6％～58,1％）、平均值（44,6％）低。两种方法描绘的根呼吸季节变化趋势一致,且都在小麦花期表现出峰值。综合两种方法,得出华北平原冬麦田根呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献率为32％～45％。     

长期定位施肥下黑土呼吸的变化特征及其影响因素

阐明长期不同施肥下的土壤呼吸特征及其影响机制对黑土区固碳减排研究至关重要。该研究基于1990年开始的国家土壤肥力与肥料效益监测网站-吉林省公主岭市黑土监测基地,选取不施肥(CK)、单施氮磷钾肥(NPK)、无机肥配施低量有机肥(NPKM1)、1.5倍的无机肥配施低量有机肥(1.5(NPKM1))、无机肥配施高量有机肥(NPKM2)和无机肥配施秸秆(NPKS)6个处理,明确了长期不同施肥下土壤总呼吸和异养呼吸的季节变化特征,并分析了土壤温度、水分、微生物量碳氮、铵态氮、硝态氮与土壤呼吸和异养呼吸的关系。结果表明:长期有机无机肥配施可以显著提高土壤有机碳、全氮、土壤速效磷、有效钾的含量和土壤活性有机碳库组分含量(P0.05);与不施肥相比,长期有机无机肥配施和无机配施秸秆处理分别显著增加土壤呼吸及异养呼吸碳累积排放量56.32%~86.54%和70.01%~100.93%;根系呼吸对土壤呼吸的整体贡献为23.68%~34.30%;相关分析表明,土壤呼吸速率和异养呼吸速率与土壤温度极显著正相关(P0.01),与土壤含水率呈显著负相关(P0.01),土壤温度可以分别解释土壤呼吸和异养呼吸变化的42.79%和39.61%;土壤微生物量碳氮、土壤硝态氮均与土壤呼吸速率和异养呼吸速率极显著相关(P0.01),土壤微生物量碳氮、土壤硝态氮可以分别解释土壤呼吸和异养呼吸变化的78.42%和77.18%,58.33%和56.79%,59.29%和59.14%;土壤铵态氮虽然显著影响土壤呼吸速率(P0.05),可以解释土壤呼吸变化的5.56%,但其对异养呼吸速率的影响不显著。综合来看,微生物量碳对土壤呼吸及异养呼吸的影响最大,而土壤含水率(15%)越高则土壤呼吸越弱;无机配施秸秆处理可以提高土壤碳库组分含量,且作物生育期内土壤呼吸及异养呼吸碳累积释放量均低于等氮量下施用有机肥(NPKM1)的处理,为最佳的农田管理措施。     

模拟增温增雨对克氏针茅草原土壤呼吸的影响

利用开顶式生长室（OTC）于2011年7-9月和2012年5-9月两个植物生长季在以克氏针茅（Stipa krylovii）为主要建群种的典型草原进行模拟增温和增雨的控制试验,以探讨增温和增雨及其交互作用对内蒙古克氏针茅（S.krylovii）草原土壤呼吸的影响。结果表明：（1）土壤呼吸速率日内变化和逐日变化均呈单峰曲线趋势,全天15：00达到最高值（2.26μmol·m-2·s-1）,生长季8月初达到最高值（5.51μmol·m-2·s-1）。9：00-11：00土壤呼吸速率能较好代表全天24h均值。（2）与对照相比,增温1.91℃使土壤呼吸速率降低19.0%,且白天降幅大于夜间。增雨20%使土壤呼吸速率较对照增加18.6%。而增温增雨（气温增加1.64℃,降雨量增加20%）处理下,土壤呼吸速率较对照增加13.0%。（3）土壤呼吸速率与土壤含水量、土壤温度均具有显著相关关系。约79%的土壤呼吸速率是由土壤温度和土壤含水量共同决定的,其中以土壤含水量为主（R2=0.797,P〈0.001）。气温升高使土壤含水量降低,间接导致土壤呼吸速率下降。研究结果可为典型草原科学应对气候变化和草地畜牧业可持续发展提供依据。     

氮肥施用对玉米根际呼吸温度敏感性的影响

为研究氮肥施用对玉米根际呼吸和土壤基础呼吸温度敏感性的影响,采用动态密闭气室红外CO2分析法,于2010年进行田间试验,该试验设4个处理：裸地不施氮肥（CK）、裸地施氮肥（CK-N）、种植玉米不施加氮肥（M）、种植玉米施加氮肥（M-N）,观测玉米田土壤呼吸各组分的日变化规律,同时观测土壤温度、气温等环境因子。结果表明,不种植玉米处理（CK和CK-N）土壤呼吸速率（土壤基础呼吸）为0.57～1.23μmol·m-2·s-1,施加氮肥对土壤基础呼吸没有显著影响;种植玉米条件下,施氮处理（M-N）的季节平均土壤呼吸速率为3.14μmol·m-2·s-1,显著高于不施氮处理（M）,增幅达31.9%。CK和CK-N处理的土壤基础呼吸温度敏感系数Q10分别为1.20、1.25,而不施氮和施氮条件下玉米根际呼吸的Q10值则分别为1.27、1.49。施加氮肥导致玉米根际呼吸温度敏感性明显增强（Q10值增大）,而土壤基础呼吸的温度敏感性则无明显变化,两种效应的叠加使得种植玉米土壤的总呼吸速率温度敏感性明显增加。     

区分纯根呼吸和根际微生物呼吸的争议

定量区分土壤呼吸各组成成分是评价陆地生态系统地下 C 平衡和能量平衡的重要基础.目前,国际上有关区分纯根呼吸和根际微生物呼吸出现了较大的争议,争议的焦点集中于根呼吸、根际微生物呼吸和自养呼吸等术语的涵义及区分纯根呼吸和根际微生物呼吸的必要性两个方面.不同研究者对术语理解的差异以及不同研究之间区分方法、研究目的和实验尺度的不同,是争议产生的主要根源.此外,实验技术的不足也增加了区分纯根呼吸和根际微生物呼吸的不确定性.目前,在全球变暖的背景下,地下生态系统C素的分配和流动将发生很多未知变化.根际微系统作为地下生态系统的重要组成部分,其C素流动和微生物区系的变化将对土壤C库及土壤温室气体排放产生深刻影响.纯根呼吸和根际微生物呼吸作为根际微系统中C索分配的两个重要去向,定量区分两者将成为土壤呼吸各组分区分研究的下一个重要内容.     

夜间增温对冬小麦土壤微生物量碳氮及其活性的影响

全球气候变暖存在明显的昼夜不对称性,夜间气温升高幅度显著高于白天,但目前关于夜间增温对土壤微生物影响的田间研究尚较少。为此,本研究采用夜间被动式增温系统(passive nighttime warming,PNW),在我国冬小麦主产区(石家庄、徐州、许昌和镇江)进行全生育期田间增温试验,于2008—2010年监测了土壤微生物对夜间增温的响应。结果显示,与不增温对照相比,夜间增温可显著降低土壤微生物量碳、氮含量和微生物活性。冬小麦整个生育期中,夜间增温分别使石家庄、徐州、许昌和镇江试验点土壤微生物量碳平均降低11.4%、7.8%、10.9%和8.5%,微生物量氮平均降低15.2%、16.7%、13.8%和8.4%,微生物呼吸速率平均下降6.6%、9.6%、7.0%和11.1%。在整个增温过程中,石家庄、徐州、许昌和镇江试验点土壤水分含量分别下降8.8%、3.7%、3.8%和2.9%,与对照相比差异不显著。同时,该夜间增温系统使相应试验点0~5 cm土层的温度分别提高1.2℃、0.7℃、0.7℃和0.7℃。本试验表明,夜间增温将可能通过改变土壤微生物特性而影响土壤碳/氮循环,从而影响到土壤养分供应和冬小麦生长;且表现出了一定的纬度差异性。     

改变碳输入对南亚热带海岸沙地典型天然次生林土壤呼吸的影响

土壤呼吸是陆地生态系统碳循环的一个重要过程,开展环境因子和改变碳输入对土壤呼吸影响的研究具有重要意义.2015年3月-2016年2月,在南亚热带海岸沙地典型天然次生林中设置去除根系、去除凋落物、加倍凋落物和对照4种处理,采用LI-8100连续观测改变碳输入对土壤呼吸的影响.结果表明:改变碳输入没有显著影响l0cm土壤温度和湿度(P＞0.05);不同处理土壤呼吸速率存在明显的季节变化,表现为夏高冬低,最大值出现在5月或者6月,最小值出现在11月或12月;土壤呼吸速率的年均值为加倍凋落物＞对照＞去除根系＞去除凋落物,不同改变碳输入方式均降低了土壤呼吸的Q10值;矿质土壤呼吸、凋落物呼吸和根系呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献分别为41.24％、43.29％和15.45％;不同处理土壤呼吸速率分别与土壤温度和湿度呈显著的指数和线性正相关(P＜0.05),双因子模型能解释土壤呼吸变异的45％ ～ 69％;改变碳输入影响土壤可溶性有机碳和微生物生物量碳,不同处理土壤呼吸速率与可溶性有机碳和微生物生物量碳呈正相关.因此,改变碳输入引起土壤易变碳的变化进而影响土壤呼吸.     

滴灌和微生物有机肥对设施土壤呼吸的耦合作用及机制

为研究滴灌水分和微生物有机肥对设施土壤呼吸的影响及耦合作用机制,设计不同灌溉定额(15、18、21 mm)和不同微生物有机肥施用量(2 800、3 600、4 400 kg/hm2)处理,以传统化肥处理为对照,观测滴灌和微生物有机肥协同作用下土壤呼吸速率、累计碳排放量等指标,分析土壤呼吸与土壤温度、湿度、有机质含量、酶(脱氢酶、脲酶和过氧化氢酶)活性及根系生物量之间的互动响应关系。结果表明:滴灌-微生物有机肥处理有利于提高土壤有机质含量和酶活性,土壤脱氢酶、脲酶和过氧化氢酶活性分别提升11.6%～27.6%、8.0%～27.7%和1.8%～11.2%,其中滴灌和微生物有机肥相结合对脲酶活性的影响达到显著(p0.05)水平;土壤呼吸速率与根系生物量、土壤温度和有机质含量呈极显著(p0.01)正相关,与土壤酶活性呈显著(p0.05)正相关。该研究证明了滴灌和微生物有机肥对土壤碳排放有显著的耦合效应,滴灌和微生物有机肥耦合主要通过改变土壤有机质含量和根系生物量,对土壤呼吸产生影响。     

Contributions of root respiration to total soil respiration before and after frost in Populus euphratica forests

Temporal changes in soil CO₂‐efflux rate was measured by a canopy‐gap method in a Populus euphratica forest located at the both sides of Tarim River banks (W China). Soil CO₂‐efflux rates in situ were correlated with key soil biotic (e.g., fungal, bacterial, and actinomycetes populations) and abiotic (e.g., soil moisture, temperature, pH, organic C) variables. Two kinds of measurement plots were selected: one under the crown of a living Populus euphratica tree and the other under a dead standing Populus euphratica tree. Diurnal variations in soil respiration in these plots were measured both before and after the occurrence of the first frost. Soil respiration of the dead standing Populus euphratica (Rd) was assumed to be a measure of heterotrophic respiration rate (Rh), and root respiration rate (Rr) was estimated as the difference between soil respiration under living (Rl) minus soil respiration under dead standing Populus euphratica. Daily variation of Rr contribution to the total soil respiration in Populus euphratica forests were analyzed before and after the frost. The contribution of root respiration to total soil respiration before and after frost varied from 22% to 45% (mean 30%) and from 38% to 50% (mean 45%), respectively. In addition, Rh was significantly correlated with soil temperature both before and after frost. In contrast, Rr was not significantly correlated with soil temperature. Change in Q₁₀ of Rr was different from that of Rh from before the frost to after the frost. Variation of Q₁₀ of Rr from before the frost to after the frost was larger than that of Q₁₀ of Rh. Thus, the results indicate that different soil respiration models are needed for Rr and Rh because different factors control the two components of soil respiration.     

Root and Microbial Contributions to Soil Respiration during a Soybean Growing Season

Soil respiration is an important process for carbon geochemical cycling. Based on our five long‐term fertilizer experiments, soil respiration was measured using pot experiments with or without planting soybean. Soil respiration rates and soybean root biomass were determined at different observation times. Soil respiration rates due to soil microbial activity could be estimated by extrapolating a newly derived regressive equation at zero root biomass. Soil microbial respiration rates in the control were also observed directly, ranging from 16.0 to 42.7 mg carbon (C) m^?2 h^?1. Average soil microbial respiration rates from the regression analyses and direct observations were 32.9 and 27.8 mg C m^?2 h^?1, respectively. The average proportions of soil respiration rates due to the soybean growth were 63.0% using the regressive equation and 69.8% from direct observation. Therefore, the application of these two methods could provide new insight for separating plant root respiration from soil microbial respiration, which is important for estimating their individual contributions to atmospheric carbon dioxide.     

太行山南麓不同植被类型土壤呼吸特征及其温度敏感性

[目的] 探讨不同植被类型土壤呼吸特征及其温度敏感性,为陆地生态系统碳循环研究提供理论支持。[方法] 以太行山南麓裸地、草地、灌丛、林地为研究对象,采用长期定位观测和室内化验分析相结合的方法,研究不同季节土壤水热因素、呼吸特征及其温度敏感性。[结果] 不同植被类型的土壤温度变化较大,均表现为1月初最低,8月下旬最高,8月以后土壤温度呈逐渐降低模式,相同月份土壤温度大致表现为：裸地>草地>灌丛>林地,局部有所波动。不同植被类型的土壤呼吸速率具有明显差异,季节变化特征一致;其中,土壤呼吸、异养呼吸和自养呼吸速率季节变化特征一致（倒V形变化规律）,大致表现为：夏季 > 秋季 > 春季 > 冬季。不同植被类型的土壤呼吸湿度敏感性大致表现为：裸地 < 草地 < 灌丛 < 林地。由此说明植被类型是影响土壤呼吸温度敏感性的重要因素,并且夏季和秋季土壤呼吸Q₁₀显著高于春季和冬季。相关性分析表明土壤pH值与温度敏感性（Q₁₀）呈显著负相关（p<0.05）,与有机碳含量呈显著正相关（p<0.05）。不同植被类型土壤异养呼吸夏季的贡献率最高,春季的贡献率最低,贡献率依次表现为：夏季>秋季>冬季>春季,自养呼吸贡献率随季节的变化呈逐渐增加趋势。[结论] 异养呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献率大于自养呼吸,微生物参与下的异养呼吸成为土壤呼吸中最主要的组成部分。     

Soil respiration rate and its sensitivity to temperature in pasture systems of dry-tropics

Abstract

Tree clearing is a topical issue the world over. In Queensland, the high rates of clearing in the past were mainly to increase pasture production. The present research evaluates the impact of clearing on some soil biological properties, i.e. total soil respiration, root respiration, microbial respiration, and microbial biomass (C and N), and the response of soil respiration to change in temperature.

In-field and laboratory (polyhouse) experiments were undertaken. For in-field studies, paired cleared and uncleared pasture plots were selected to represent three major tree communities of the region, i.e. Eucalyptus populnea, E. melanophloia, and Acacia harpophylla. The cleared sites were chosen to represent three different time-since-clearing durations (5, 11–13, and 33 years; n=18 for cleared and uncleared plots) to determine the temporal impact of clearing on soil biological properties. Experiments were conducted in the polyhouse to study in detail the response of soil respiration to changes in soil temperature and soil moisture, and to complement in-field studies for estimating root respiration.

The average rate of CO₂ emission was 964 g CO₂/m²/yr, with no significant difference (P<0.05) among cleared and uncleared sites. Microbial respiration and microbial biomass were greater at uncleared compared with those at cleared sites. The Q ₁₀-value of 1.42 (measured for different seasons in a year) for in-field measurements suggested a small response of soil respiration to soil temperature, possibly due to the limited availability of soil moisture and/or organic matter. However, results from the polyhouse experiment suggested greater sensitivity of root respiration to temperature change than for total soil respiration. Since root biomass (herbaceous roots) was greater at the cleared than at uncleared sites, and root respiration increased with an increase in temperature, we speculate that with rising ambient temperature and consequently soil temperature, total soil respiration in cleared pastures will increase at a faster rate than that in uncleared pastures.     

Effects of simulated nitrogen deposition on soil respiration components and their temperature sensitivities in a semiarid grassland

Nitrogen (N) deposition to semiarid ecosystems is increasing globally, yet few studies have investigated the ecological consequences of N enrichment in these ecosystems. Furthermore, soil CO₂ flux – including plant root and microbial respiration – is a key feedback to ecosystem carbon (C) cycling that links ecosystem processes to climate, yet few studies have investigated the effects of N enrichment on belowground processes in water-limited ecosystems. In this study, we conducted two-level N addition experiments to investigate the effects of N enrichment on microbial and root respiration in a grassland ecosystem on the Loess Plateau in northwestern China. Two years of high N additions (9.2 g N m⁻² y⁻¹) significantly increased soil CO₂ flux, including both microbial and root respiration, particularly during the warm growing season. Low N additions (2.3 g N m⁻² y⁻¹) increased microbial respiration during the growing season only, but had no significant effects on root respiration. The annual temperature coefficients (Q₁₀) of soil respiration and microbial respiration ranged from 1.86 to 3.00 and 1.86 to 2.72 respectively, and there was a significant decrease in Q₁₀ between the control and the N treatments during the non-growing season but no difference was found during the growing season. Following nitrogen additions, elevated rates of root respiration were significantly and positively related to root N concentrations and biomass, while elevated rates of microbial respiration were related to soil microbial biomass C (SMBC). The microbial respiration tended to respond more sensitively to N addition, while the root respiration did not have similar response. The different mechanisms of N addition impacts on soil respiration and its components and their sensitivity to temperature identified in this study may facilitate the simulation and prediction of C cycling and storage in semiarid grasslands under future scenarios of global change.     

Partitioning CO2 Respiration among Soil,Rhizosphere Microorganisms,and Roots of Wheat under Greenhouse Conditions

Abstract

The measurement of soil, root, and rhizomicrobial respiration has become very important in evaluating the role of soil on atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration. The objective of this study was to partition root, rhizosphere, and nonrhizosphere soil respiration during wheat growth. A secondary objective was to compare three techniques for measuring root respiration: without removing shoot of wheat, shading shoot of wheat, and removing shoot of wheat. Soil, root, and rhizomicrobial respiration were determined during wheat growth under greenhouse conditions in a Carwile loam soil (fine, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Argiaquolls). Total below ground respiration from planted pots increased after planting through early boot stage and then decreased through physiological maturity. Root‐rhizomicrobial respiration was determined by taking the difference in CO₂ flux between planted and unplanted pots. Also, root and rhizomicrobial respirations were directly measured from roots by placing them inside a Mason jar. It was determined that root‐rhizomicrobial respiration accounted for 60% of total CO₂ flux, whereas 40% was from heterotrophic respiration in unplanted pots. Rhizomicrobial respiration accounted for 18 to 25% of total CO₂ flux. Shade and no‐shoot had similar effects on root respiration. The three techniques were not significantly different (p>0.05).     

日本湿润的温带草地根际和微生物呼吸对土壤CO2排放的贡献及环境影响因素

Soil CO2 efflux, root mass, and root production were investigated in a humid temperate grassland of Japan over a growing season (Apr. to Sep.) of 2005 to reveal seasonal changes of soil CO2 efflux, to separate the respective contributions of root and microbial respiration to the total soil CO2 efflux, and to determine the environmental factors that control soil respiration. Minimal microbial respiration rate was estimated based on the linear regression equations between soil CO2 efflux and root mass at different experimental sites. Soil CO2 efflux, ranging from 4.99 to 16.29 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1, depended on the seasonal changes in soil temperature. The root mass at 0--10 cm soil depth was 0.82 and 1.27 kg m-2 in Apr. and Sep., respectively. The root mass at 0--10 cm soil depth comprised 60% of the total root mass at 0--50 cm soil depth. The root productivity at 0--30 cm depth varied from 8 to 180 g m-2 month-1. Microbial and root respiration rates ranged from 1.35 to 5.51 and 2.72 to 12.06 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1, respectively. The contribution of root respiration to the total soil CO2 efflux averaged 53%, ranging from 33% to 72%. The microbial respiration rate was exponentially related to soil temperature at 10 cm depth (R2 = 0.9400, P = 0.002, n = 6), and the root respiration rate was linearly related to the root production at 0--30 cm depth (R2 = 0.6561, P = 0.042, n = 6).     

Three‐source partitioning of CO2 efflux from maize field soil by 13C natural abundance

A natural‐¹³C‐labeling approach—formerly observed under controlled conditions—was tested in the field to partition total soil CO₂ efflux into root respiration, rhizomicrobial respiration, and soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition. Different results were expected in the field due to different climate, site, and microbial properties in contrast to the laboratory. Within this isotopic method, maize was planted on soil with C₃‐vegetation history and the total CO₂ efflux from soil was subdivided by isotopic mass balance. The C₄‐derived C in soil microbial biomass was also determined. Additionally, in a root‐exclusion approach, root‐ and SOM‐derived CO₂ were determined by the total CO₂ effluxes from maize (Zea mays L.) and bare‐fallow plots. In both approaches, maize‐derived CO₂ contributed 22% to 35% to the total CO₂ efflux during the growth period, which was comparable to other field studies. In our laboratory study, this CO₂ fraction was tripled due to different climate, soil, and sampling conditions. In the natural‐¹³C‐labeling approach, rhizomicrobial respiration was low compared to other studies, which was related to a low amount of C₄‐derived microbial biomass. At the end of the growth period, however, 64% root respiration and 36% rhizomicrobial respiration in relation to total root‐derived CO₂ were calculated when considering high isotopic fractionations between SOM, microbial biomass, and CO₂. This relationship was closer to the 50% : 50% partitioning described in the literature than without fractionation (23% root respiration, 77% rhizomicrobial respiration). Fractionation processes of ¹³C must be taken into account when calculating CO₂ partitioning in soil. Both methods—natural ¹³C labeling and root exclusion—showed the same partitioning results when ¹³C isotopic fractionation during microbial respiration was considered and may therefore be used to separate plant‐ and SOM‐derived CO₂ sources.     

Seasonal pattern of total soil respiration in undisturbed and disturbed ecosystems of Central Himalaya

Summary The rates of CO₂ efflux were measured by an alkali absorption method (using 20 ml 0.5 N NaOH) from soils in four undisturbed sites [two evergreen oak forests, Quercus floribunda Lindl. (tilonj oak), Quercus leucotrichophora A Camus (banj oak), and two evergreen conifer forests, Cedrus deodara Loud. (deodar forest) and Pinus roxburghii Sarg. (chir pine forest)] and three disturbed sites. The sites were located between elevations of 1850 and 2360 m in the Central Himalaya. The seasonal pattern of soil respiration was similar in all the sites with a maximum during the rainy season, intermediate rates during the summer season and the lowest level of activity in winter. The rate of CO₂ efflux was higher in broadleaf than in conifer forests, and it was lowest in the disturbed sites. Among the edaphic conditions, soil moisture, N, organic C, pH, soil porosity, and root biomass positively affected total soil respiration. The proportion of root respiration to total soil respiration was higher in the disturbed sites than the undisturbed sites in winter. Conditions in the winter season were less favourable for microbial respiration than for root respiration.