Background:Soil respiration(S_(R))is a critical process for understanding the impact of climatic conditions and land degradation on the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems.We measured the S_(R) and soil environment...Background:Soil respiration(S_(R))is a critical process for understanding the impact of climatic conditions and land degradation on the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems.We measured the S_(R) and soil environmental factors over 1 year in four land uses with varying levels of disturbance and different vegetation types viz.,mixed forest cover(MFC),Prosopis juliflora(Sw.)forest cover(PFC),agricultural field(AF),and vegetable field(VF),in a semi-arid area of Delhi,India.Our primary aim was to assess the effects of soil moisture(S_(M)),soil temperature(S_(T)),and soil microbial activity(S_(MA))on the S_(R).Methods:The S_(R) was measured monthly using an LI-6400 with an infrared gas analyser and a soil chamber.The S_(M) was measured using the gravimetric method.The S_(T)(10 cm)was measured with a probe attached to the LI-6400.The S_(MA) was determined by fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis.Results:The S_(R) showed seasonal variations,with the mean annual S_(R) ranging from 3.22 to 5.78μmol m^(−2) s^(−1) and higher S_(R) rates of~15-55%in the cultivated fields(AF,VF)than in the forest sites(MFC,PFC).The VF had significantly higher S_(R)(P<0.05)than the other land uses(AF,PFC,MFC),which did not vary significantly from one another in S_(R)(P<0.05).The repeated measures ANOVA evaluated the significant differences(P<0.05)in the S_(R) for high precipitation months(July,August,September,February).The S_(M) as a single factor showed a strong significant relationship in all the land uses(R^(2)=0.67-0.91,P<0.001).The effect of the S_(T) on the S_(R) was found to be weak and non-significant in the PFC,MFC,and AF(R^(2)=0.14-0.31;P>0.05).Contrasting results were observed in the VF,which showed high S_(R) during summer(May;11.21μmol m^(−2) s^(−1))and a significant exponential relationship with the S_(T)(R^(2)=0.52;P<0.05).The S_(R) was positively related to the SMA(R2=0.44-0.5;P<0.001).The interactive equations based on the independent variables S_(M),S_(T),and S_(MA) explained 91-95%of the seasonal variation in S_(R) with better model performance in the cultivated land use sites(AF,VF).Conclusion:S_(M) was the key determining factor of the S_(R) in semi-arid ecosystems and explained~90%of the variation.Precipitation increased S_(R) by optimizing the S_(M) and microbial activity.The S_(MA),along with the other soil factors S_(M) and S_(T),improved the correlation with S_(R).Furthermore,the degraded land uses will be more susceptible to temporal variations in S_(R) under changing climatic scenarios,which may influence the carbon balance of these ecosystems.展开更多
基金We thank Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR,Ref No.20-12/2009(ii)EU-IV),University Grants Commission(UGC,Ref No.20-6/2009(ii)EU-IV)and Science and Engineering Research Board(SERB),Department of Science and Technology(DST,SR/FT/LS-59/2012),India for financial supportWe also thank University of Delhi for providing Research and Development for providing grant for doctoral research program.
文摘Background:Soil respiration(S_(R))is a critical process for understanding the impact of climatic conditions and land degradation on the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems.We measured the S_(R) and soil environmental factors over 1 year in four land uses with varying levels of disturbance and different vegetation types viz.,mixed forest cover(MFC),Prosopis juliflora(Sw.)forest cover(PFC),agricultural field(AF),and vegetable field(VF),in a semi-arid area of Delhi,India.Our primary aim was to assess the effects of soil moisture(S_(M)),soil temperature(S_(T)),and soil microbial activity(S_(MA))on the S_(R).Methods:The S_(R) was measured monthly using an LI-6400 with an infrared gas analyser and a soil chamber.The S_(M) was measured using the gravimetric method.The S_(T)(10 cm)was measured with a probe attached to the LI-6400.The S_(MA) was determined by fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis.Results:The S_(R) showed seasonal variations,with the mean annual S_(R) ranging from 3.22 to 5.78μmol m^(−2) s^(−1) and higher S_(R) rates of~15-55%in the cultivated fields(AF,VF)than in the forest sites(MFC,PFC).The VF had significantly higher S_(R)(P<0.05)than the other land uses(AF,PFC,MFC),which did not vary significantly from one another in S_(R)(P<0.05).The repeated measures ANOVA evaluated the significant differences(P<0.05)in the S_(R) for high precipitation months(July,August,September,February).The S_(M) as a single factor showed a strong significant relationship in all the land uses(R^(2)=0.67-0.91,P<0.001).The effect of the S_(T) on the S_(R) was found to be weak and non-significant in the PFC,MFC,and AF(R^(2)=0.14-0.31;P>0.05).Contrasting results were observed in the VF,which showed high S_(R) during summer(May;11.21μmol m^(−2) s^(−1))and a significant exponential relationship with the S_(T)(R^(2)=0.52;P<0.05).The S_(R) was positively related to the SMA(R2=0.44-0.5;P<0.001).The interactive equations based on the independent variables S_(M),S_(T),and S_(MA) explained 91-95%of the seasonal variation in S_(R) with better model performance in the cultivated land use sites(AF,VF).Conclusion:S_(M) was the key determining factor of the S_(R) in semi-arid ecosystems and explained~90%of the variation.Precipitation increased S_(R) by optimizing the S_(M) and microbial activity.The S_(MA),along with the other soil factors S_(M) and S_(T),improved the correlation with S_(R).Furthermore,the degraded land uses will be more susceptible to temporal variations in S_(R) under changing climatic scenarios,which may influence the carbon balance of these ecosystems.
