Autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration in needle fir and Quercus-dominated stands in a cool-temperate forest, central Korea

Abstract

To investigate annual variation in soil respiration (R (S)) and its components [autotrophic (R (A)) and heterotrophic (R (H))] in relation to seasonal changes in soil temperature (ST) and soil water content (SWC) in an Abies holophylla stand (stand A) and a Quercus-dominated stand (stand Q), we set up trenched plots and measured R (S), ST and SWC for 2 years. The mean annual rate of R (S) was 436 mg CO2 m(-2) h(-1), ranging from 76 to 1,170 mg CO2 m(-2) h(-1), in stand A and 376 mg CO2 m(-2) h(-1), ranging from 82 to 1,133 mg CO2 m(-2) h(-1), in stand Q. A significant relationship between R (S) and its components and ST was observed over the 2 years in both stands, whereas a significant correlation between R (A) and SWC was detected only in stand Q. On average over the 2 years, R (A) accounted for approximately 34% (range 17-67%) and 31% (15-82%) of the variation in R (S) in stands A and Q, respectively. Our results suggested that vegetation type did not significantly affect the annual mean contributions of R (A) or R (H), but did affect the pattern of seasonal change in the contribution of R (A) to R (S).