CO2 efflux from different forest soils and impact factors in Dinghu Mountain, China

CO2 fluxes from soils and related environmental factors were measured in three forest ecosystems of Dinghu Mountain using static chamber-gas chromatograph technique for one year. The seasonal pattern of CO2 flux, contribution of litter on total CO2 flux and the correlations of CO2 flux with soil temperature and soil water content were examined for each type of forest. The results were given as followings: (1) The seasonal patterns of CO2 flux from soil of the three types of forest were similar, with a higher CO2 flux in rainy season than in dry season. The comparative relations of mean annual CO2 fluxes between the three sites were expressed as:monsoon forest ＞ mixed forest ＞ pine forest. (2) CO2 fluxes from litter decomposition in monsoon forest, mixed forest and pine forest accounted for 24.43%, 41.75% and 29.23% of the corresponding total CO2 fluxes from forest floor, respectively. (3) Significant relationships were found between CO2 fluxes and soil temperatures at 5 cm depth for the three types of forest, which could be best described by exponential equations. The calculated Q10 values based on soil temperature at 5 cm depth ranged from 1.86 to 3.24. More significant relationships were found between CO2 fluxes and soil water content when the annual variation coefficients of soil moisture were higher.     

Soil respiration in tropical seasonal rain forest in Xishuangbanna, SW China

With the static opaque chamber and gas chromatography technique, from January 2003 to January 2004 soil respiration was investigated in a tropical seasonal rain forest in Xishuangbanna, SW China. In this study three treatments were applied, each with three replicates: A (bare soil), B (soil+litter), and C (soil+litter+seedling). The results showed that soil respiration varied seasonally, low from December 2003 to February 2004, and high from June to July 2004. The annual average values of CO2 efflux from soil respiration differed among the treatments at 1% level, with the rank of C (14642 mgCO2· m-2. h-1)＞B (12807 mgCO2· m-2. h-1)＞A (9532 mgCO2· m-2. h-1). Diurnal variation in soil respiration was not apparent due to little diurnal temperate change in Xishuangbanna. There was a parabola relationship between soil respiration and soil moisture at 1% level. Soil respiration rates were higher when soil moisture ranged from 35% to 45%. There was an exponential relationship between soil respiration and soil temperature (at a depth of 5cm in mineral soil) at 1% level. The calculated Q1o values in this study,ranging from 2.03 to 2.36, were very near to those of tropical soil reported. The CO2 efflux in 2003was 5.34 kgCO2· m-2. a-1 from soil plus litter plus seedling, of them 3.48 kgCO2· m-2. a-1 from soil (accounting for 62.5%), 1.19 kgCO2· m-2. a-1 from litter (22.3%) and 0.67 kgCO2·m-2. a-1 from seedling (12.5%).     

Carbon stable isotopic composition of karst soil CO2 in central Guizhou, China

The δ¹³c values of soil CO₂ are less than that of atmosphere CO₂ in the karst area. On the soil-air interface, the δ¹³c vlaues of soil CO₂ decrease with the increase in soil depth; below the soil-air interface, the δ¹³c values of soil CO₂ are invariable. The type of vegetation on the land surface has an influence on the δ¹³C values of soil CO₂. Due to the activity of soil microbes, the δ¹³C values of soil CO₂ are variable with seasonal change in ps. Isotopic tracer indicates that atmosphere CO₂ has a great deal of contribution to soil CO₂ at the lower parts of soil proflie. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 49703048 and 49833002)     

Landscape structure,groundwater dynamics,and soil water content influence soil respiration across riparian–hillslope transitions in the Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest,Montana

Variability in soil respiration at various spatial and temporal scales has been the focus of much research over the last decade aimed to improve our understanding and parameterization of physical and environmental controls on this flux. However, few studies have assessed the control of landscape position and groundwater table dynamics on the spatiotemporal variability of soil respiration. We investigated growing season soil respiration in a ～393 ha subalpine watershed in Montana across eight riparian–hillslope transitions that differed in slope, upslope accumulated area (UAA), aspect, and groundwater table dynamics. We collected daily‐to‐weekly measurements of soil water content (SWC), soil temperature, soil CO₂ concentrations, surface CO₂ efflux, and groundwater table depth, as well as soil C and N concentrations at 32 locations from June to August 2005. Instantaneous soil surface CO₂ efflux was not significantly different within or among riparian and hillslope zones at monthly timescales. However, cumulative integration of CO₂ efflux during the 83‐day growing season showed that efflux in the wetter riparian zones was ～25% greater than in the adjacent drier hillslopes. Furthermore, greater cumulative growing season efflux occurred in areas with high UAA and gentle slopes, where groundwater tables were higher and more persistent. Our findings reveal the influence of landscape position and groundwater table dynamics on riparian versus hillslope soil CO₂ efflux and the importance of time integration for assessment of soil CO₂ dynamics, which is critical for landscape‐scale simulation and modelling of soil CO₂ efflux in complex landscapes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comment on ‘García‐Santos G,Bruijnzeel LA. 2011. Rainfall,fog and throughfall dynamics in a subtropical ridge top cloud forest,National Park of Garajonay (La Gomera,Canary Islands,Spain). Hydrological Processes 25: 411–417’

A previous study aiming to characterize the water dynamics of a cloud forest in the Garajonay National Park (La Gomera) from measurements taken in a plot located in the upper part of a selected watershed within the park is here commented. Reported magnitudes of hydrological variables and conclusions based on them are in disagreement with those of numerous studies carried out previously at the same site. Large data dispersion and inapplicability of some of the hypothesis assumed are shown to invalidate most of the results. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.