Components of soil respiration and its temperature sensitivity in four types of forests along an elevational gradient in Shennongjia, China

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.00722

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Quantifying forest soil respiration (R_s), its components of heterotrophic respiration (R_H) and autotrophic respiration (R_A), and their responses to temperature are vital to accurately evaluate response of the terrestrial carbon balance to future climate change. Our specific objectives were to (1) compare patterns of soil respiration of four types of forests, (2) evaluate relationships among soil respiration and temperature and water content and (3) find the regulation of Q₁₀ value in relation to elevation.
Methods Four types of forests along an elevational gradient at Shennongjia were investigated. The trenching plot approach was used to partition soil respiration into autotrophic respiration and heterotrophic respiration. Rates of soil respiration were measured twice a month from July 2009 to June 2010. Soil temperature and soil water content were measured at the same time.
Important findings Annual soil respiration of the four types of forests was 1.63, 1.79, 1.74 and 1.35 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1, and annual heterotrophic respiration was 1.13, 1.12, 1.12, 0.80 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1. Soil respiration and its components displayed obvious seasonal dynamics, with maximum values in summer and minimum values in winter. The soil respiration flux of broad-leaved forest was significantly higher than that of coniferous forests, but there was no obvious differentiation between broad-leaved forests. Soil temperature was the main factor that affected soil respiration and its components, and there were significant exponential relationships between them. There was no significant relationship between soil water content and soil respiration flux, except in broad-leaved forest with a mild inhibition phenomenon. Q₁₀ values of four types of forests were 2.38, 2.68, 2.99 and 4.24. Soil respiration was more sensitive to temperature along the elevation gradient, while Q₁₀ value increased with elevation increase.

Key words: autotrophic respiration (R_A), heterotrophic respiration (R_H), Q₁₀ value, soil water content, soil temperature

LUO Lu, SHEN Guo-Zhen, XIE Zong-Qiang, ZHOU Li-Guang. Components of soil respiration and its temperature sensitivity in four types of forests along an elevational gradient in Shennongjia, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2011, 35(7): 722-730.

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Figures/Tables 8

References 51

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森林类型 Forest type	位置 Location	海拔 Elevation (m)	坡度 Slope	降水量 Precipitation (mm)	平均胸径 Mean diameter at breast hight (cm)	建群种 Constructive species	土壤类型 Soil type
常绿阔叶林 Evergreen broad- leaved forest	31°21′ N 110°30′ E	780	41.5°	850	7.90	川钓樟 Lindera strychnifolia var. hemsleyana 宜昌楠 Phoebe zhennan yichang 青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca	山地黄壤 Mountain yellow earth
常绿落叶阔叶混交林 Mixed evergreen and deciduous broad- leaved forest	31°19′ N 110°29′ E	1 670	21.0°	1 200	13.34	米心水青冈 Fagus engleriana 青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca	山地黄棕壤 Mountain yellow brown earth
落叶阔叶林 Deciduous broad- leaved forest	31°18′ N 110°30′ E	1 970	19.0°	1 050	17.59	锐齿槲栎 Quercus aliena var. acutiserrata 四照花 Cronus japonica var. chinensis	山地黄棕壤 Mountain yellow- brown earth
亚高山针叶林 Sub-alpine coniferous forest	31°28′ N 110°18′ E	2 570	22.0°	1 100	24.82	巴山冷杉 Abies fargesii 杜鹃 Rhododendron simsii	山地暗棕壤 Mountain dark yellow earth

森林类型 Forest type	位置 Location	海拔 Elevation (m)	坡度 Slope	降水量 Precipitation (mm)	平均胸径 Mean diameter at breast hight (cm)	建群种 Constructive species	土壤类型 Soil type
常绿阔叶林 Evergreen broad- leaved forest	31°21′ N 110°30′ E	780	41.5°	850	7.90	川钓樟 Lindera strychnifolia var. hemsleyana 宜昌楠 Phoebe zhennan yichang 青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca	山地黄壤 Mountain yellow earth
常绿落叶阔叶混交林 Mixed evergreen and deciduous broad- leaved forest	31°19′ N 110°29′ E	1 670	21.0°	1 200	13.34	米心水青冈 Fagus engleriana 青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca	山地黄棕壤 Mountain yellow brown earth
落叶阔叶林 Deciduous broad- leaved forest	31°18′ N 110°30′ E	1 970	19.0°	1 050	17.59	锐齿槲栎 Quercus aliena var. acutiserrata 四照花 Cronus japonica var. chinensis	山地黄棕壤 Mountain yellow- brown earth
亚高山针叶林 Sub-alpine coniferous forest	31°28′ N 110°18′ E	2 570	22.0°	1 100	24.82	巴山冷杉 Abies fargesii 杜鹃 Rhododendron simsii	山地暗棕壤 Mountain dark yellow earth

森林类型 Forest type	原状土壤呼吸R_S (μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1)	挖壕沟土壤呼吸R_tren (μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1)	异养呼吸R_H (μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1)	自养呼吸R_A (μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1)
常绿阔叶林 Evergreen broad-leaved forest	1.627 ± 0.068^a	1.308 ± 0.042^a	1.125^a	0.502
常绿落叶阔叶混交林 Mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest	1.789 ± 0.059^a	1.324 ± 0.073^a	1.116^a	0.673
落叶阔叶林 Deciduous broad-leaved forest	1.738 ± 0.134^a	1.429 ± 0.098^a	1.170^a	0.568
亚高山针叶林 Sub-alpine coniferous forest	1.355 ± 0.059^b	0.885 ± 0.017^b	0.798^b	0.557

森林类型 Forest type	原状土壤呼吸R_S (μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1)	挖壕沟土壤呼吸R_tren (μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1)	异养呼吸R_H (μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1)	自养呼吸R_A (μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1)
常绿阔叶林 Evergreen broad-leaved forest	1.627 ± 0.068^a	1.308 ± 0.042^a	1.125^a	0.502
常绿落叶阔叶混交林 Mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest	1.789 ± 0.059^a	1.324 ± 0.073^a	1.116^a	0.673
落叶阔叶林 Deciduous broad-leaved forest	1.738 ± 0.134^a	1.429 ± 0.098^a	1.170^a	0.568
亚高山针叶林 Sub-alpine coniferous forest	1.355 ± 0.059^b	0.885 ± 0.017^b	0.798^b	0.557

	常绿阔叶林 Evergreen broad- leaved forest		常绿落叶阔叶混交林 Mixed evergreen and de- ciduous broad-leaved forest		落叶阔叶林 Deciduous broad-leaved forest		亚高山针叶林 Sub-alpine coniferous forest
	ST	SWC	ST	SVC	ST	SVC	ST	SVC
原状土壤呼吸 Soil respiration of untrenched plot	0.956^*	-0.205	0.987^*	-0.059	0.955^*	-0.097	0.949^*	0.346
挖壕沟土壤呼吸 Soil respiration of trenched plot	0.927^*	-0.145	0.984^*	-0.073	0.962^*	0.242	0.915^*	0.405
异养呼吸 Heterotrophic respiration	0.959^*	-0.074	0.990^*	-0.039	0.964^*	0.358	0.909^*	0.395
自养呼吸 Autotrophic respiration	0.800^*	-0.024	0.953^*	-0.038	0.906^*	0.507	0.923^*	0.427