[Effect of vegetation types on soil respiration characteristics on a smaller scale]

Soil respiration was measured from April 2005 to December 2007 using a LICOR-6400-09 chamber connecting a LiCor-6400 portable photosynthesis system at 3 sites with same elevation and soil texture but different vegetation types. The results indicated that seasonal trend of soil respiration showed a distinct temporal change with the higher values in summer and autumn months and the lower values in winter and spring. Annual means (March to December) of soil respiration for 3 the sampling sites were(3.58 +/- 2.50), (3.82 +/- 2.75) and (4.42 +/- 3.38) micromol x (m2 x s)(-1) (p > 0.05), respectively. Released annual amount (March to December) of CO2 efflux from 3 sites was from 854.9 to 1 297.2 g x (m2 x a)(-1) and the amount was no difference between sites and among years. The fitted exponential equations of soil respiration and soil temperature for 3 sites were all significant with the R2 from 0.61 to 0.81, and the Q10 and R10 calculated from fitted parameters of the equations ranged from 2.60 to 4.50, and from 1.70 to 3.02 micromol x (m2 x s)(-1). The relationships between soil respiration and soil water content were not significant for all 3 sites with a maximum R2 of the regression equations only 0.12 (p > 0.05). However, when the soil temperature was above 10 degrees C, the relationships between soil respiration and soil water content was significant (p < 0.05). Four combined regression equations including soil temperature and soil water content could be used to model relationships between soil respiration and both soil temperature and soil water content together, with the R2 most above 0.7, and maximum of 0.91.