北亚热带-南暖温带过渡区典型森林生态系统土壤呼吸及其组分分离

为阐明北亚热带．南暖温带过渡区典型森林生态系统土壤呼吸与其组分的碳排放速率及其对土壤水热变化的响应规律,本研究用壕沟断根法布设了土壤呼吸组分分离试验,并对土壤温湿度与呼吸速率进行了一年的观测。统计分析结果表明：土壤呼吸及其组分的呼吸速率在夏秋季较高、春冬季较低;土壤温度低于15℃时,呼吸速率的季节性变化主要受控于土壤温度;土壤温度高于15℃,而含水量低于0．20kg·kg^-1时,含水量对呼吸速率有明显的抑制作用;当土壤温湿度分别高于15℃与0．20kg·kg^-1,呼吸速率同时受到土壤温湿度的影响;土壤温湿度分别能解释呼吸速率季节性变化的80．36％～94．94％与7．20％～48．45％,温度的影响高于含水量;5种类型中土壤呼吸、自养与异养呼吸的Q10值变化范围分别为2．30～2．44、2．49～2．82与2．09～2．35,每个类型中自养呼吸的温度敏感性均为最高,其次为土壤呼吸,异养呼吸最低;锐齿栎幼林、锐齿栎老林、华山松与短柄袍针阔混交林、千金榆与短柄袍阔叶混交林及栓皮栎林自养呼吸日贡献率的变化范围分别为35．19％～57．73％、28．73％～49．24％、28．67％～49．82％、24．24％～41．70％与30．07％～46．22％,土壤呼吸的年排放量分别为1105．15gC·m^-2·a^-1、779．12gC·m^-2·a^-1、821．23gC·m^-2·a^-1、912．19gC·m^-2·a^-1与899．50gC·m^-2·a^-1,其中自养呼吸的年贡献率分别为52．89％、39．77％、44．17％、38．15％与43．26％,若考虑断根样方内细根分解的影响,则自养呼吸的年贡献率分别为65．56％、47．95％、53．80％、46．83％与53．86％;5个林分间的土壤呼吸速率、异养呼吸速率没有显著差异（P〉0．05）,而自养呼吸速率存在显著差异（P〈0．05）,类型间活细根生物量的差异解释了自养呼吸速率差异的94．71％。     

东北东部森林生态系统土壤碳贮量和碳通量

土壤碳是高纬度地区森林生态系统最大的碳库,是森林生态系统碳循环的极其重要组分。研究了东北东部典型的6种次生林生态系统(天然蒙古栎林、杨桦林、杂木林、硬阔叶林、红松人工林和落叶松人工林)的土壤碳动态,包括(1)量化土壤有机碳(SOC)含量、碳密度及周转时间,(2)比较不同森林生态系统的土壤表面CO2通量(RS)年通量差异,(3)建立RS年通量及其分量与SOC的量化关系。研究结果表明:阔叶天然次生林和针叶人工林的SOC含量变化范围分别为52.63~66.29 g.kg-1和42.15~49.15 g.kg-1;平均SOC密度分别为15.57和17.16 kg.m-2;平均SOC周转时间分别为32a和48a。各个生态系统的RS依次为杂木林951 gC.m-2.a-1、硬阔叶林892 gC.m-2.-a 1、杨桦林812 gC.m-2.-a 1、蒙古栎林678gC.m-2.-a 1、红松林596 gC.m-2.-a 1和落叶松林451 gC.m-2.a-1。RS年通量及其分量(土壤异养呼吸和自养呼吸)与SOC含量呈显著的正相关,但其相关程度因土层不同而异(R2=0.747~0.933)。同一生态系统中,SOC含量随土深增加而降低,而SOC密度和SOC周转时间随深度增加而增大。采用统一规范的研究方法,获取大量有代表性的森林生态系统土壤碳贮量和RS的实测数据,是减少区域尺度碳平衡研究中不确定性的不可缺少的研究内容。     

神农架海拔梯度上4种典型森林的土壤呼吸组分及其对温度的敏感性

量化森林土壤呼吸及其组分对温度的响应对准确评估未来气候变化背景下陆地生态系统的碳平衡极其重要。该文通过对神农架海拔梯度上常绿阔叶林、常绿落叶阔叶混交林、落叶阔叶林以及亚高山针叶林4种典型森林土壤呼吸的研究发现: 4种森林类型的年平均土壤呼吸速率和年平均异养呼吸速率分别为1.63、1.79、1.74、1.35 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1和1.13、1.12、1.12、0.80 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1。该地区的土壤呼吸及其组分呈现出明显的季节动态, 夏季最高, 冬季最低。4种森林类型中, 阔叶林的土壤呼吸显著高于针叶林, 但阔叶林之间的土壤呼吸差异不显著。土壤温度是影响土壤呼吸及其组分的主要因素, 二者呈显著的指数关系; 土壤含水量与土壤呼吸之间没有显著的相关关系。4种典型森林土壤呼吸的Q₁₀值分别为2.38、2.68、2.99和4.24, 随海拔的升高土壤呼吸对温度的敏感性增强, Q₁₀值随海拔的升高而增加。     

中国南亚热带森林不同演替阶段土壤呼吸的分离量化

量化森林土壤呼吸(R_S)及其组分对准确地评估森林土壤碳吸存极其重要。该文以鼎湖山南亚热带季风常绿阔叶林及其演替系列针阔叶混交林和马尾松(Pinus massoniana)林为研究对象, 采用挖壕沟法结合静态气室CO₂测定法对这3种林分类型的R_S进行分离量化。结果表明: 鼎湖山3种森林演替系列上的森林R_S及其组分(自养呼吸R_A、异养呼吸R_H)均呈现出明显的季节动态, 表现为夏季最高、冬季最低的格局。在呼吸总量上, 季风常绿阔叶林显著高于针阔叶混交林和马尾松林, 但混交林与马尾松林之间差异不显著; R_A除季风常绿阔叶林显著大于针阔叶混交林外, 其余林分之间差异不显著; 对于R_H来说, 3个林分之间均无显著差异。随着森林正向演替的进行, 由马尾松林至针阔叶混交林至季风常绿阔叶林, R_A对土壤总呼吸的年平均贡献率分别为(39.48 ± 15.49)%、(33.29 ± 17.19)%和(44.52 ± 10.67)%, 3个林分之间差异不显著。方差分析结果表明, 土壤温度是影响R_S及其组分的主要环境因子, 温度与R_S及其组分呈显著的指数关系; 土壤含水量对R_S的影响不显著, 甚至表现为轻微的抑制现象, 但未达到显著性水平。对温度敏感性指标Q₁₀值的分析表明, 3个林分均为R_A的温度敏感性最大, R_H的温度敏感性最小。     

火干扰对森林生态系统土壤呼吸组分的影响研究进展

土壤呼吸是陆地生态系统与大气碳交换的主要方式,主要分为自养呼吸和异养呼吸。土壤呼吸不仅是森林生态系统碳循环过程的关键环节,也是森林生态系统能量流动和物质循环的重要生态过程。火作为森林生态系统中一个重要的生态因子,可以在短时间内对土壤呼吸组分造成巨大的影响。火干扰对土壤呼吸组分的影响与火烧强度、火烧频率、火烧持续时间以及火后恢复等因子有关,通过影响植被的根系与组成、微生物群落数量与结构,凋落物的数量以及生态系统的环境和小气候等,进而对土壤呼吸产生影响。火干扰对土壤呼吸影响整体表现为火烧后土壤呼吸速率下降,在几个月至几年内恢复到火烧前水平,之后火继续对土壤呼吸产生影响长达数年至数十年。通过描述火烧强度、火烧频率以及火后恢复时间,阐述火干扰对土壤呼吸组分的直接影响,以及通过火后环境对土壤呼吸组分产生的间接影响,来揭示火干扰对森林生态系统土壤呼吸组分的影响。同时针对火干扰对土壤呼吸组分的影响进行以下3个方面的研究展望：（1）火后产生的黑碳对土壤呼吸组分的影响;（2）火后植被恢复对土壤呼吸组分产生的影响;（3）火后土壤呼吸组分的长期变化规律。     

苏北淤泥质海岸典型防护林地土壤呼吸组分分离

土壤呼吸组分分离研究在理解生态系统土壤CO2释放对气候变化的响应研究中具有重要的意义。采用挖壕沟法对苏北淤泥质海岸两种典型防护林地土壤呼吸组分进行了分离研究。结果表明:杨树和水杉林地的根呼吸、异养呼吸与土壤总呼吸的季节变化相似,6—9月份较高,其它月份较低。杨树(Populus tomentosa Carr.)和水杉(Metasequoia glyptostroboides HuCheng)林地根系呼吸的年通量分别为767.5gCO2m-2和902.8g CO2m-2,根呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献分别为20.2%和25.0%。杨树和水杉林地土壤异养呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献均远大于根呼吸,分别是根呼吸的3.9倍和3.0倍。温度是两林地土壤呼吸各组分的主要限制性因子,而土壤含水量不是土壤呼吸组分的限制性因子。本研究结果表明,苏北沿海防护林地的根呼吸对土壤总呼吸的贡献较小。为了能够更加准确的定量估算土壤呼吸各组分,在未来组分分离研究中应加强同位素法的应用。     

土壤各组分呼吸区分方法研究进展

土壤呼吸分为自养型呼吸(根呼吸)和异养型呼吸(微生物和动物呼吸),区分各组分呼吸可了解在全球变化条件下土壤碳循环和碳平衡的动态。本文综述了3种主要区分自养呼吸和异养呼吸的方法:①组分法;②根去除术;③同位素法。其中同位素法对根和土壤的影响最小,是最可靠的一种方法;综合各方面考虑,根去除法是最切实可行的方法。     

土壤呼吸组分分离技术研究进展

分离土壤呼吸组分是理解陆地生态系统碳循环的重要步骤,研究农田生态系统土壤呼吸组分的呼吸过程和机理对促进农业温室气体减排和碳汇增加、气候变化适应、保障粮食安全以及推动农业可持续发展都具有积极意义。本文综述了近年来土壤呼吸组分分离的理论依据、主要技术及分类,系统比较了现有技术优势、劣势和应用领域,并总结了土壤呼吸组分分离技术在国内外农田生态系统中的应用情况。由于多数分离技术在森林生态系统的相关研究中发展而来,它们在农田生态系统的应用十分有限,目前应用以同位素法、根分离法和回归法为主。由于土壤呼吸理论划分和分离方法的差异,不同研究结果之间往往难以比较。分离技术的发展有赖于土壤呼吸源分离理论的进一步发展,未来土壤呼吸组分分离研究的主要方向在于：（1）利用现有观测技术促进组分集成分析法和根分离法在农田生态系统中的应用,强化土壤呼吸组分和环境因子的同步观测,准确评估农田碳收支;（2）利用定位观测数据开展大尺度模型研究,改进和重构现有全球碳模型的碳氮过程,并在其中考虑重要的土壤呼吸过程;（3）利用FACE试验评估气候变化对土壤呼吸组分的影响和土壤-植物碳循环的适应机制;（4）分析呼吸组分与植物-土壤-养分的交互作用,评估农田管理措施的综合影响。     

亚热带毛竹人工林土壤呼吸组分动态变化及其影响因素

利用Li-8100土壤碳通量测量系统,研究了2013年4月—2014年3月浙江临安市毛竹人工林土壤呼吸、异养呼吸和自养呼吸速率的动态变化规律.结果表明：毛竹人工林土壤总呼吸速率、异养呼吸速率和自养呼吸速率均呈现出明显的季节变化特征,最高值出现在7月,最低值出现在1月,年平均值分别为2.93、1.92和1.01 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1.毛竹林土壤总呼吸、异养呼吸和自养呼吸年累积CO₂排放量分别为37.25、24.61和12.64 t CO₂·hm^-2·a^-1.土壤呼吸各组分均与土壤5 cm温度呈显著指数相关,土壤总呼吸、异养呼吸和自养呼吸的温度敏感系数Q₁₀值分别为2.05、1.95和2.34.土壤总呼吸速率、异养呼吸速率与土壤水溶性有机碳(WSOC)含量均呈显著相关,而自养呼吸与WSOC无显著相关性;土壤呼吸各组分与土壤含水〖JP2〗量以及微生物生物量碳均无显著相关性.土壤温度是影响毛竹人工林土壤呼吸及其组分季节变化的主要驱动因子,土壤WSOC含量是影响土壤总呼吸和异养呼吸的重要环境因子.     

典型森林和草地生态系统呼吸各组分间的相互关系

生态系统呼吸是陆地生态系统碳收支的重要组成部分,分析其组分间的相互关系对理解生态系统呼吸过程和精确评价生态系统碳收支具有重要意义,也是当前碳循环研究工作的一大难点。本研究利用ChinaFLUX的长白山温带针阔混交林（CBS）,鼎湖山亚热带常绿阔叶林（DHS）和海北灌丛草甸（HBGC）三个典型生态系统的通量观测数据,采用经验统计方法,分析了其在中国典型生态系统中的适用性及敏感性,揭示了生态系统呼吸各组分的动态变化特征及相互关系。结果表明：采用本研究中的呼吸组分拆分方法所获结果与理论推测及实测数据大致相同,拆分结果对净初级生产力与总初级生产力的比值（NPP/GPP）较为敏感,NPP/GPP变化0.1时,自养呼吸在生态系统呼吸中的比例（Ra/RE）改变0.05。各生态系统中,生态系统呼吸及其组分在年内均表现出明显的单峰型变化特征,在夏季生长旺盛的时节达到最大值。异养呼吸与生态系统呼吸的比值（Rh/RE）也具有明显的季节变化,但在生态系统间表现出明显差异,CBS和HBGC分别表现出先增大后减小和先减小后增大的变化趋势,DHS则相对稳定,在0.5附近波动, Ra/RE的季节动态与Rh/RE相反。在年总量上,HBGC主要通过异养呼吸向大气排放CO2,异养呼吸占生态系统呼吸的60%,而CBS和DHS的自养呼吸和异养呼吸所占比重大致相似,异养呼吸占生态系统呼吸的49%。这说明,该统计学模型可以用来进行生态系统呼吸组分的拆分,进而可以为生态系统碳循环过程的精细研究提供参考数据,但今后应加强NPP/GPP的测定,以提高生态系统呼吸拆分的精度。     

Partitioning soil respiration of temperate forest ecosystems in northeastern China

Quantifying soil respiration components and their relations to environmental controls are essential to estimate both local and regional carbon (C) budgets of forest ecosystems. In this study, we used the trenching-plot and infrared gas exchange analyzer approaches to determine heterotrophic (R_H) and autotrophic respiration (R_A) in the soil surface CO₂ flux for six major temperate forest ecosystems in northeastern China. The ecosystems were: Mongolian oak forest (dominated by Quercus mongolica), aspen-birch forest (dominated by Populous davidiana and Betula platyphylla), mixed wood forest (composed of P. davidiana, B. platyphylla, Fraxinus mandshurica, Tilia amurensis, Acer amono, etc.), hardwood forest (dominated by F. mandshurica, Juglans mandshurica, and Phellodendron amurense), Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis), and Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) plantations, representing the typical secondary forest ecosystems in this region. Our specific objectives were to: (1) quantify R_H and its relationship with the environmental factors of the forest ecosystems, (2) characterize seasonal dynamics in the contribution of root respiration to total soil surface CO₂ flux (RC), and (3) compare annual CO₂ fluxes from R_H and R_A among the six forest ecosystems. Soil temperature, water content, and their interactions significantly affected R_H in the ecosystems and accounted for 46.5%–78.8% variations in R_H. However, the environmental controlling factors of R_H varied with ecosystem types: soil temperature in hardwood and Dahurian larch forest ecosystems, soil temperature, and water content in the others. The RC for hardwood, poplar-birch, mixed wood, Mongolian oak, Korean pine, and Dahurian larch forest ecosystems varied between 32.40%–51.44%, 39.72%–46.65%, 17.94%–47.74%, 34.31%–37.36%, 33.78%–37.02%, and 14.39%–35.75%, respectively. The annual CO₂ fluxes from R_H were significantly greater than those from R_A for all the ecosystems, ranging from 337–540 g Cm^-2a^-1 and 88‐331 gCm^-2a^-1 for R_H and R_A, respectively. The annual CO₂ fluxes from R_H and R_A differed significantly among the six forest ecosystems.     

Rhizospheric and heterotrophic components of soil respiration in six Chinese temperate forests

Partitioning soil respiration (R_S) into heterotrophic (R_H) and rhizospheric (R_R) components is an important step for understanding and modeling carbon cycling in forest ecosystems, but few studies on R_R and R_H exist in Chinese temperate forests. In this study, we used a trenching plot approach to partition R_S in six temperate forests in northeastern China. Our specific objectives were to (1) examine seasonal patterns of soil surface CO₂ fluxes from trenched (R_T) and untrenched plots (R_UT) of these forests; (2) quantify annual fluxes of R_S components and their relative contributions in the forest ecosystems; and (3) examine effects of plot trenching on measurements of R_S and related environmental factors. The R_T maximized in early growing season, but the difference between R_UT and R_T peaked in later summer. The annual fluxes of R_H and R_R varied with forest types. The estimated values of R_H for the Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.), Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.), aspen‐birch (Populous davidiana Dode and Betula platyphylla Suk.), hardwood (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr., Juglans mandshurica Maxim. and Phellodendron amurense Rupr.), Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica Fisch.) and mixed deciduous (no dominant tree species) forests averaged 89, 196, 187, 245, 261 and 301 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹, respectively; those of R_R averaged 424, 209, 628, 538, 524 and 483 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹, correspondingly; calculated contribution of R_R to R_S (RC) varied from 52% in the larch forest to 83% in the pine forest. The annual flux of R_R was strongly correlated to biomass of roots <0.5 cm in diameter, while that of R_H was weakly correlated to soil organic carbon concentration at A horizon. We concluded that vegetation type and associated carbon metabolisms of temperate forests should be considered in assessing and modeling R_S components. The significant impacts of changed soil physical environments and substrate availability by plot trenching should be appropriately tackled in analyzing and interpreting measurements of R_S components.     

Effects of experimental drought on soil respiration and radiocarbon efflux from a temperate forest soil

Soil moisture affects microbial decay of SOM and rhizosphere respiration (RR) in temperate forest soils, but isolating the response of soil respiration (SR) to summer drought and subsequent wetting is difficult because moisture changes are often confounded with temperature variation. We distinguished between temperature and moisture effects by simulation of prolonged soil droughts in a mixed deciduous forest at the Harvard Forest, Massachusetts. Roofs constructed over triplicate 5 × 5 m² plots excluded throughfall water during the summers of 2001 (168 mm) and 2002 (344 mm), while adjacent control plots received ambient throughfall and the same natural temperature regime. In 2003, throughfall was not excluded to assess the response of SR under natural weather conditions after two prolonged summer droughts. Throughfall exclusion significantly decreased mean SR rate by 53 mg C m^?2 h^?1 over 84 days in 2001, and by 68 mg C m^?2 h^?1 over 126 days in 2002, representing 10–30% of annual SR in this forest and 35–75% of annual net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of C. The differences in SR were best explained by differences in gravimetric water content in the Oi horizon (r²=0.69) and the Oe/Oa horizon (r²=0.60). Volumetric water content of the A horizon was not significantly affected by throughfall exclusion. The radiocarbon signature of soil CO₂ efflux and of CO₂ respired during incubations of O horizon, A horizon and living roots allowed partitioning of SR into contributions from young C substrate (including RR) and from decomposition of older SOM. RR (root respiration and microbial respiration of young substrates in the rhizosphere) made up 43–71% of the total C respired in the control plots and 41–80% in the exclusion plots, and tended to increase with drought. An exception to this trend was an interesting increase in CO₂ efflux of radiocarbon‐rich substrates during a period of abundant growth of mushrooms. Our results suggest that prolonged summer droughts decrease primarily heterotrophic respiration in the O horizon, which could cause increases in the storage of soil organic carbon in this forest. However, the C stored during two summers of simulated drought was only partly released as increased respiration during the following summer of natural throughfall. We do not know if this soil C sink during drought is transient or long lasting. In any case, differential decomposition of the O horizon caused by interannual variation of precipitation probably contributes significantly to observed interannual variation of NEE in temperate forests.     

锐齿栎林年龄序列土壤呼吸组分特征研究

林龄作为影响土壤呼吸的因素已是碳循环关注的热点问题之一,且林龄在模拟演替及长期碳动态的监测过程中发挥重要作用。该研究采用Li-Co-r8100土壤呼吸仪,研究林龄对土壤呼吸通量及其组分的影响。结果表明：锐齿栎林年龄序列(40 a,80 a,>160 a)及不同组分的土壤呼吸速率都表现出明显的单峰型季节动态,且与5 cm土壤温度呈显著指数相关。这可能是由于温度变化影响土壤生物活性引起的,土壤温度与土壤呼吸关系的指数方程可以解释80％以上的土壤呼吸变化。土壤呼吸及其不同组分在林龄间均无明显差异,土壤呼吸对温度的敏感性在锐齿栎林年龄序列及各组分间也无显著差异,这可能与林龄间土壤特性、森林生产力、微环境条件等相差不大有关。加倍凋落物的累计土壤呼吸通量显著( P<0.05)高于对照、断根和去除凋落物处理的累积呼吸量,说明增加凋落物输入为土壤提供了更丰富的养分,改善了样地微环境,有利于激发土壤微生物活性。锐齿栎林累计土壤呼吸通量与土壤有机碳( SOC)、细根生物量( FR)和微生物呼吸( MR)也显著相关,表明该地区土壤特性以及地下新陈代谢能很好地解释锐齿栎林土壤呼吸格局。     

Indirect partitioning of soil respiration in a series of evergreen forest ecosystems

A simple estimation of heterotrophic respiration can be obtained analytically as the y-intercept of the linear regression between soil-surface CO₂ efflux and root biomass. In the present study, a development of this indirect methodology is presented by taking into consideration both the temporal variation and the spatial heterogeneity of heterotrophic respiration. For this purpose, soil CO₂ efflux, soil carbon content and main stand characteristics were estimated in seven evergreen forest ecosystems along an elevation gradient ranging from 250 to 1740 m. For each site and for each sampling date the measured soil CO₂ efflux (R _S) was predicted with the model R _S = a × S _C + b × R _D ± ε, where S _C is soil carbon content per unit area to a depth of 30 cm and R _D is the root density of the 2–5 mm root class. Regressions with statistically significant a and b coefficients allowed the indirect separation of the two components of soil CO₂ efflux. Considering that the different sampling dates were characterized by different soil temperature, it was possible to investigate the temporal and thermal dependency of autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration. It was estimated that annual autotrophic respiration accounts for 16–58% of total soil CO₂ efflux in the seven different evergreen ecosystems. In addition, our observations show a decrease of annual autotrophic respiration at increasing availability of soil nitrogen. Section Editor: A. Hodge     

Soil respiration in six temperate forests in China

Scaling soil respiration (R_S), the major CO₂ source to the atmosphere from terrestrial ecosystems, from chamber‐based measurements to ecosystems requires studies on variations and correlations of R_S from various biomes and across geographic regions. However, few studies on R_S are available for Chinese temperate forest despite the importance of this forest in the national and global carbon budgets. In this study, we conducted 18‐month R_S measurements during 2004–2005 in six temperate forest types, representing the typical secondary forest ecosystems across various site conditions in northeastern China: Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica Fisch.), aspen‐birch (Populous davidiana Dode and Betula platyphylla Suk.), mixed deciduous (no dominant tree species), hardwood (dominated by Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr., Juglans mandshurica Maxim., and Phellodendron amurense Rupr.) forests, Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.) and Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.) plantations. Our specific objectives were to: (1) explore relationships of R_S against soil temperature and water content for the six forest ecosystems, (2) quantify annual soil surface CO₂ flux and its relations to belowground carbon storage, (3) examine seasonal variations in R_S and related environmental factors, and (4) quantify among‐ and within‐ecosystem variations in R_S. The R_S was positively correlated to soil temperature in all forest types, and was significantly influenced by the interactions of soil temperature and water content in the pine, larch, and mixed deciduous forests. The sensitivity of R_S to soil temperature at 10 cm depth (Q₁₀) ranged from 2.61 in the oak forest to 3.75 in the aspen‐birch forests. The Q₁₀ tended to increase with soil water content until reaching a threshold, and then decline. The annual R_S for the larch, pine, hardwood, oak, mixed deciduous, and aspen‐birch forests averaged 403, 514, 781, 785, 786, and 813 g C m^?2 yr^?1, respectively. The annual R_S of the broadleaved forests was 72% greater than that of the coniferous forests. The annual R_S was positively correlated to soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration at O horizon (R²=0.868) and total biomass of roots <0.5 cm in diameter (R²=0.748). The coefficient of variation (CV) of R_S among forest types averaged 25% across the 18‐month measurements. The CV of R_S within plots varied from 20% to 27%, significantly (P<0.001) greater than those among plots (9–15%), indicating the importance of the fine‐scaled heterogeneity in R_S. This study emphasized that variations in soil respiration and potential sampling bias should be appropriately tackled for accurate soil CO₂ flux estimates.     

Seasonal changes in the contribution of root respiration to total soil respiration in a cool-temperate deciduous forest

A trenching method was used to determine the contribution of root respiration to soil respiration. Soil respiration rates in a trenched plot (R _trench) and in a control plot (R _control) were measured from May 2000 to September 2001 by using an open-flow gas exchange system with an infrared gas analyser. The decomposition rate of dead roots (R _D) was estimated by using a root-bag method to correct the soil respiration measured from the trenched plots for the additional decaying root biomass. The soil respiration rates in the control plot increased from May (240–320 mg CO₂ m^–2 h^–1) to August (840–1150 mg CO₂ m^–2 h^–1) and then decreased during autumn (200–650 mg CO₂ m^–2 h^–1). The soil respiration rates in the trenched plot showed a similar pattern of seasonal change, but the rates were lower than in the control plot except during the 2 months following the trenching. Root respiration rate (R _r) and heterotrophic respiration rate (R _h) were estimated from R _control, R _trench, and R _D. We estimated that the contribution of R _r to total soil respiration in the growing season ranged from 27 to 71%. There was a significant relationship between R _h and soil temperature, whereas R _r had no significant correlation with soil temperature. The results suggest that the factors controlling the seasonal change of respiration differ between the two components of soil respiration, R _r and R _h.     

Effect of clear-cutting silviculture on soil respiration in a subtropical forest of China

Aims Clear-cutting is a common forest management practice, especially in subtropical China. However, the potential ecological consequences of clear-cutting remain unclear. In particular, the effect of clear-cutting on soil processes, such as the carbon cycle, has not been quantified in subtropical forests. Here, we investigated the response of soil respiration (Rs) to clear-cutting during a 12-month period in a subtropical forest in eastern China.Methods We randomly selected four clear-cut (CC) plots and four corresponding undisturbed forest (UF) plots. Measurements of Rs were made at monthly time points and were combined with continuous climatic measurements in both CC and UF. Daily Rs was estimated by interpolating data with an exponential model dependent on soil temperature. Daily Rs was cumulated to annual Rs estimates.Important findings In the first year after clear-cutting, annual estimates of Rs in CC (508±23g C m ?2 yr^-1) showed no significant difference to UF plots (480±12g C m ?2 yr^-1). During the summer, soil temperatures were usually higher, whereas the soil volumetric water content was lower in CC than in UF plots. The long-term effects of clear-cutting on Rs are not significant, although there might be effects during the first several months after clear-cutting. Compared with previous work, this pattern was more pronounced in our subtropical forest than in the temperate and boreal forests that have been studied by others. With aboveground residuals off-site after clear-cutting, our results indicate that the stimulation of increasing root debris, as well as environmental changes, will not lead to a significant increase in Rs. In addition, long-term Rs will not show a significant decrease from the termination of root respiration, and this observation might be because of the influence of fast-growing vegetation after clear-cutting in situ .