Soil Respiration in the Profiles of Forest Soils in Inland Dunes

Zofia Fischer,Lidiya Dubis

doi:10.4236/ojss.2019.95005

Abstract

Forest soil profiles of two dunes within the European belt of inland dunes were analysed in the laboratory. We carried out respirometric measurements of carbon dioxide production and oxygen consumption for every horizon of the studied soils while simultaneously quantifying the organic matter and humidity. Oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide excretion decreased exponentially with depth. The oxygen consumption decrease was less rapid than the decrease in carbon dioxide production. We found a statistical significant linear dependence between oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide excretion, and organic matter content and soil water capacity. Respiration processes in the profiles were divided into two strata; oxygen respiration dominated in the first and fermentation processes in the second. We estimated total respiration in the studied profiles for an area of 1 m2 down to around 1 m depth. We concluded that when assessing the soil’s role in carbon cycling in an ecosystem, it is necessary to consider both the respiratory and fermentation strata, as both produce large quantities of carbon dioxide. The main factor determining carbon dioxide production intensity is organic matter content; thus the distribution of organic matter in the soil profile determines carbon cycling intensity.

Highlights

Soil carbon dioxide excretion has recently become an important area of research, as the soil is responsible for 60% - 80% of CO2 emissions in forest ecosystems [1] [2]
The studied soil profiles were sampled from the European dune belt (European sand belt) [17] [19] [20] [21] et al Basic profile 1 was from Ukraine (Male Polissia region), and basic profile 2 was from the ancient Vistula River valley in Poland
The percentage contents of these groups were analysed in each horizon except in the O/A-A horizon, in view of its high organic matter content

Summary

Introduction

Soil carbon dioxide excretion has recently become an important area of research, as the soil is responsible for 60% - 80% of CO2 emissions in forest ecosystems [1] [2]. The review of Kuzyakow [3] discussed the diversity of methods applied in this field, which results from, amongst others, the range of factors driving CO2 excretion from the soil. Field investigations of soil respiration in the soil profile are usually based on probe measurements of changes in amounts of carbon dioxide [4] [5]. Laboratory investigations are sparse due to methodical limitations (difficulties relating to the maintenance of anaerobic conditions) and primarily concern the reactions of soil to changes in environmental factors [6]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion