Rates of Carbon Dioxide Evolution From the Forest Floor

Abstract

Evolution of CO2 from the forest floor measured by the inverted—box method was related to moisture, temperature, and age of the litter, and to CO2 evolution from oak leaves in litter bags measured by the closed—box method. Rates of CO2 evolution measured by the inverted— and closed—box methods did not differ significantly (P>0.2). Respiration rates from bagged oak leaves were significantly correlated (P<0.01) with respiration rates from the floor in an oak stand, but not with rates in pine and maple stands. In the oak stand, rates of respiration from the forest floor and from litter bags were highly significantly correlated (P<0.01) with temperature, litter age, and moisture in decreasing order of influence. The influence of litter age was much higher in litter bags than in the forest floor. The variability of temperature and moisture in the forest floor was lower than in litter bags. Rates of respiration from the floors of pine, oak, and maple stands were not significantly different (P>0.05).