(Supplemental Table 2) Plant characteristics, GHG fluxes, and soil chemical and microbial properties in experimental treatments in Alexandra Fiord

We evaluated above- and belowground ecosystem changes in a 16 year, combined fertilization and warming experiment in a High Arctic tundra deciduous shrub heath (Alexandra Fiord, Ellesmere Island, NU, Canada). Soil emissions of the three key greenhouse gases (GHGs) (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) were measured in mid-July 2009 using soil respiration chambers attached to a FTIR system. Soil chemical and biochemical properties including Q10 values for CO2, CH4, and N2O, Bacteria and Archaea assemblage composition, and the diversity and prevalence of key nitrogen cycling genes including bacterial amoA, crenarchaeal amoA, and nosZ were measured. Warming and fertilization caused strong increases in plant community cover and height but had limited effects on GHG fluxes and no substantial effect on soil chemistry or biochemistry. Similarly, there was a surprising lack of directional shifts in the soil microbial community as a whole or any change at all in microbial functional groups associated with CH4 consumption or N2O cycling in any treatment. Thus, it appears that while warming and increased nutrient availability have strongly affected the plant community over the last 16 years, the belowground ecosystem has not yet responded. This resistance of the soil ecosystem has resulted in limited changes in GHG fluxes in response to the experimental treatments.

CO2 soil flux baseline at the technological development plant for CO2 injection at Hontomin (Burgos, Spain)

From the end of 2013 and during the following two years, 20 kt of CO2sc are planned to be injected in a saline reservoir (1500 m depth) at the Hontomín site (NE Spain). The target aquifers are Lower Jurassic limestone formations which are sealed by Lower Cretaceous clay units at the Hontomín site (NE Spain). The injection of CO2 is part of the activities committed in the Technology Development phase of the EC-funded OXYCFB300 project (European Energy Program for Recovery – EEPR, http://www.compostillaproject.eu), which include CO2 injection strategies, risk assessment, and testing and validating monitoring methodologies and techniques. Among the monitoring works, the project is intended to prove that present-day technology is able to monitor the evolution of injected CO2 in the reservoir and to detect potential leakage. One of the techniques is the measurement of CO2 flux at the soil–atmosphere interface, which includes campaigns before, during and after the injection operations. In this work soil CO2 flux measurements in the vicinity of oil borehole, drilled in the eighties and named H-1 to H-4, and injection and monitoring wells were performed using an accumulation chamber equipped with an IR sensor. Seven surveys were carried out from November 2009 to summer 2011. More than 4000 measurements were used to determine the baseline flux of CO2 and its seasonal variations. The measured values were low (from 5 to 13 g m−2 day−1) and few outliers were identified, mainly located close to the H-2 oil well. Nevertheless, these values cannot be associated to a deep source of CO2, being more likely related to biological processes, i.e. soil respiration. No anomalies were recognized close to the deep fault system (Ubierna Fault) detected by geophysical investigations. There, the CO2 flux is indeed as low as other measurement stations. CO2 fluxes appear to be controlled by the biological activity since the lowest values were recorded during autumn-winter seasons and they tend to increase in warm periods. Two reference CO2 flux values (UCL50 of 5 g m−2 d−1 for non-ploughed areas in autumn–winter seasons and 3.5 and 12 g m−2 d−1 for in ploughed and non-ploughed areas, respectively, in spring–summer time, and UCL99 of 26 g m−2 d−1 for autumn–winter in not-ploughed areas and 34 and 42 g m−2 d−1 for spring–summer in ploughed and not-ploughed areas, respectively) were calculated. Fluxes higher than these reference values could be indicative of possible leakage during the operational and post-closure stages of the storage project.

Do cover crops enhance N2O, CO2 or CH4 emissions from soil in Mediterranean arable systems?

This study evaluates the effect of planting three cover crops (CCs) (barley, Hordeum vulgare L.; vetch, Vicia villosa L.; rape, Brassica napus L.) on the direct emission of N2O, CO2 and CH4 in the intercrop period and the impact of incorporating these CCs on the emission of greenhouse gas (GHG) from the forthcoming irrigated maize (Zea mays L.) crop. Vetch and barley were the CCs with the highest N2O and CO2 losses (75 and 47% increase compared with the control, respectively) in the fallow period. In all cases, fluxes of N2O were increased through N fertilization and the incorporation of barley and rape residues (40 and 17% increase, respectively). The combination of a high C:N ratio with the addition of an external source of mineral N increased the fluxes of N2O compared with − Ba and − Rp. The direct emissions of N2O were lower than expected for a fertilized crop (0.10% emission factor, EF) compared with other studies and the IPCC EF. These results are believed to be associated with a decreased NO3− pool due to highly denitrifying conditions and increased drainage. The fluxes of CO2 were in the range of other fertilized crops (i.e., 1118.71–1736.52 kg CO2–C ha− 1). The incorporation of CC residues enhanced soil respiration in the range of 21–28% for barley and rape although no significant differences between treatments were detected. Negative CH4 fluxes were measured and displayed an overall sink effect for all incorporated CC (mean values of − 0.12 and − 0.10 kg CH4–C ha− 1 for plots with and without incorporated CCs, respectively).

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Post Fire Emergency Rehabilitation Treatments on Soil Degradation and Erosion Control in Semi-Arid Mediterranean Areas of the Spanish South East

In this study, we seeded a native plant species and applied a mulch of chopped wood originating from the same burned area to avoid the establishment of invasive species. We evaluated four treatments: (1) seeding, (2) mulch, (3) seeding and mulch, and (4) control. Our objective was to increase plant recovery and to minimize the soil erosion and degradation. The study was conducted in Alicante, Spain in Torremanzanas forest of the semi-arid Mediterranean bioclimatic area after the wildfire of November, 2002. During three years of monitoring, we find that combined treatment: seeding and mulch increased the post fire plant recovery 20% approximately more than the rest of treatments and the control plots. We also found that seven months after treating mulch and seeding and mulch treatments presented a gain of soil: +5.18 to + 5.24 mm while the seeding treatment and control plots presented soil loss rates of: −0.48 to −0.49 mm. In addition, mulch treatment significantly decreased soil compaction to the half, and increased the infiltration capacity to 40 ml.mn−1 more than in plots without mulch, as well as increased the soil respiration to the double compared with no mulch plots. Work in progress confirms the positive effect of chopped wood as mulching treatment with or without seeding on the soil protection against soil erosion, and the amelioration of bio-physical properties after wildfires in the Mediterranean semi-arid burned areas.

Fine root respiration in the mangrove Rhizophora mangle over variation in forest stature and nutrient availability

Root respiration uses a significant proportion of photosynthetically fixed carbon (C) and is a globally important source of C liberated from soils. Mangroves, which are an important and productive forest resource in many tropical and subtropical countries, sustain a high ratio of root to shoot biomass which may indicate that root respiration is a particularly important component in mangrove forest carbon budgets. Mangroves are often exposed to nutrient pollution from coastal waters. Here we assessed the magnitude of fine root respiration in mangrove forests in Belize and investigated how root respiration is influenced by nutrient additions. Respiration rates of excised fine roots of the mangrove, Rhizophora mangle L., were low (4.01 +/- 0.16 nmol CO2 g(-1) s(-1)) compared to those measured in temperate tree species at similar temperatures. In an experiment where trees where fertilized with nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) in low productivity dwarf forests (1-2 m height) and more productive, taller (47 m height) seaward fringing forests, respiration of fine roots did not vary consistently with fertilization treatments or with forest stature. Fine roots of taller fringe trees had higher concentrations of both N and P compared to dwarf trees. Fertilization with P enhanced fine root P concentrations in both dwarf and fringe trees, but reduced root N concentrations compared to controls. Fertilization with N had no effect on root N or P concentrations. Unlike photosynthetic C gain and growth, which is strongly limited by P availability in dwarf forests at this site, fine root respiration (expressed on a mass basis) was variable, but showed no significant enhancements with nutrient additions. Variation in fine root production and standing biomass are, therefore, likely to be more important factors determining C efflux from mangrove sediments than variations in fine root respiration per unit mass.

Soil carbon dynamics in primary and secondary tropical forests in Colombia

Soils play a central role in the dynamics of biospheric carbon and in climate change. They contain the largest carbon stock of terrestrial ecosystems and return to the atmosphere a significant proportion of carbon fixed by photosynthesis. Soils of tropical forests are tremendously important in the carbon cycle because they receive the largest organic matter inputs, they have the largest respiration rates, and they are among the largest carbon reservoirs among world soils. This research assesses the main components of the soil carbon dynamics in primary (PF) and secondary (SF) tropical forests in Colombia. I evaluated the production, stocks, and decomposition rates of aboveground detritus as well as the stocks, growth, mortality, and decomposition of fine roots in these two forest types. Soil carbon outputs were evaluated as total soil, heterotrophic, and root respiration. The stocks of soil organic carbon down to 4 m deep in these two cover types and in degraded pastures (PAS) were also evaluated. ^ Soil inputs of organic carbon from above and belowground sources were lower in SF than in PF. Litterfall in SF was 58% and production of fine root detritus was 60% of that in PF. When production of woody detritus and palm fronds was considered, the difference between these forest types was even larger. However, outputs of mineral carbon through heterotrophic soil respiration were similar; in SF they equaled 97% of those in PF. As a result, soil carbon balance was positive in PF and negative in SF. Despite that soil carbon balances suggest that soils of SF are losing carbon, soil carbon stocks of SF were higher than of degraded pastures, suggesting that they have already started to recover soil carbon stocks lost under degraded pastures. This discrepancy can be partially explained by the effect of drier conditions on heterotrophic soil respiration as a consequence of a moderate El Niño event during the period of soil respiration measurements. The positive carbon balance in soils of PF despite the El Niño event, suggests that soils of PF accumulated about 664 Kg C ha−1 yr−1. Therefore, soil carbon dynamics mainly depended on successional status of vegetation and on climatic conditions. ^

Biogeochemical Effects of Simulated Sea Level Rise on Carbon Loss in an Everglades Mangrove Peat Soil

Saltwater intrusion and inundation can affect soil microbial activity, which regulates the carbon (C) balance in mangroves and helps to determine if these coastal forests can keep pace with sea level rise (SLR). This study evaluated the effects of increased salinity (+15 ppt), increased inundation (−8 cm), and their combination, on soil organic C loss from a mangrove peat soil (Everglades, Florida, USA) under simulated tides. Soil respiration (CO2 flux), methane (CH4) flux, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) production, and porewater nutrient concentrations were quantified. Soil respiration was the major pathway of soil organic C loss (94–98%) and was approximately 90% higher in the control water level than the inundated treatment under elevated salinity. Respiration rate increased with water temperature, but depended upon salinity and tidal range. CH4 flux was minimal, while porewater DOC increased with a concomitant, significant decline in soil bulk density under increased inundation. Porewater ammonium increased (73%) with inundation and soluble reactive phosphorus increased (32%) with salinity. Overall, the decline in soil organic C mineralization from combined saltwater intrusion and prolonged inundation was not significant, but results suggest SLR could increase this soil’s susceptibility to peat collapse and accelerate nutrient and DOC export to adjacent Florida Bay.

Carbon Inputs from Miscanthus Displace Older Soil Organic Carbon Without Inducing Priming Soil Carbon Sequestration Below Miscanthus

Peer reviewed

Impact of HydroPolymers on the soil biological components in mediterranean drylands

Soil degradation affects more than 52 million ha of land in counties of the European Union. This problem is particularly serious in Mediterranean areas, where the effects of anthropogenic activities (tillage on slopes, deforestation, and pasture production) add to problems caused by prolonged periods of drought and intense and irregular rainfall. Soil microbiota can be used as an indicator of the soil healthy in degraded areas. This is because soil microbiota participates in the cycle elements and in the organic matter decomposition. All this helps to the young plants establishment and in long term protect the soils against the erosion. During dry periods in the Mediterranean areas, the lack of water entering the soil matrix leads to a loss of soil microbiological activity and it turns into a lower soil production capabilities. Under these conditions, the aim of this study was to evaluate the positive effect on soil biological components produced by an hydro absorbent polymer (Terracottem). The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the impact assessment of an hydropolymer (Terracottem) on the soil biological components. An experimental flowerpot layout was established in June 2015 and 12 variants with different amount of Terracottem were applied as follow: i) 3.0 kg.m3 ; ii) 1.5 kg.m3 and; iii) 0 kg.m3. In all the variants were tested the further additives: a) 1% of glucose, b) 50 kg N.ha-1 of Mineral nitrogen, c) 1% of Glucose + 50 kg N.ha-1 of Mineral nitrogen d) control (no additive). According to natural conditions, humidity have been kept at 15% in all the variants. During four weeks, mineral nitrogen leaching and soil respiration have been measured in each flowerplot. Respiration has been quantified four times every time while moistening containers and alkaline soda lime has been used as a sorbent. The amount of CO 2 increase has been measured with the sorbent. Leaching of mineral nitrogen has been quantified by ion exchange resins (IER). IER pouches have been placed on the bottom of each container, and after completion of the experiment mineral nitrogen leaching has been evaluated by distillation and titration method. Results from respiration have shown statistically significant differences between the variants. According to control, soil with polymers have shown significant difference when comparing respiration with independence of the additive used. CO 2 production in the first week has exceeded the sum of the outputs of the following weeks. Mineral nitrogen leaching measurement has shown statistically significant differences. The lowest leaching has been occurred in control variant, while the highest in variant containing only the addition of mineral nitrogen. Research results may conclude that the biological part of the test soil is not limited by a lack of components, the only thing that suppresses its activity is the lack of moisture. After moistening it leads to a rapid growth of soil activity, without causing the nutrients loss. Besides, Terracottem has affected soil activity neither positively nor negatively, but it considers being a suitable tool for reducing the drought impact in arid and semi-arid areas.

Carbon pools and fluxes along an environmental gradient in northern Arizona

Carbon pools and fluxes were quantified along an environmental gradient in northern Arizona. Data are presented on vegetation, litter, and soil C pools and soil CO2 fluxes from ecosystems ranging from shrub-steppe through woodlands to coniferous forest and the ecotones in between. Carbon pool sizes and fluxes in these semiarid ecosystems vary with temperature and precipitation and are strongly influenced by canopy cover. Ecosystem respiration is approximately 50 percent greater in the more mesic, forest environment than in the dry shrub-steppe environment. Soil respiration rates within a site vary seasonally with temperature but appear to be constrained by low soil moisture during dry summer months, when approximately 75% of total annual soil respiration occurs. Total annual amount of CO2 respired across all sites is positively correlated with annual precipitation and negatively correlated with temperature. Results suggest that changes in the amount and periodicity of precipitation will have a greater effect on C pools and fluxes than will changes in temperature :in the semiarid Southwestern United States.

Microbial activities in boreal soils: Biodegradation of organic contaminants at low temperature and ammonia oxidation

This thesis deals with the response of biodegradation of selected anthropogenic organic contaminants and natural autochthonous organic matter to low temperature in boreal surface soils. Furthermore, the thesis describes activity, diversity and population size of autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in a boreal soil used for landfarming of oil-refinery wastes, and presents a new approach, in which the particular AOB were enriched and cultivated in situ from the landfarming soil onto cation exchange membranes. This thesis demonstrates that rhizosphere fraction of natural forest humus soil and agricultural clay loam soil from Helsinki Metropolitan area were capable of degrading of low to moderate concentrations (0.2 50 µg cm-3) of PCP, phenanthrene and 2,4,5-TCP at temperatures realistic to boreal climate (-2.5 to +15 °C). At the low temperatures, the biodegradation of PCP, phenanthrene and 2,4,5-TCP was more effective (Q10-values from 1.6 to 7.6) in the rhizosphere fraction of the forest soil than in the agricultural soil. Q10-values of endogenous soil respiration (carbon dioxide evolution) and selected hydrolytic enzyme activities (acetate-esterase, butyrate-esterase and β-glucosidase) in acid coniferous forest soil were 1.6 to 2.8 at temperatures from -3 to +30 °C. The results indicated that the temperature dependence of decomposition of natural autochthonous soil organic matter in the studied coniferous forest was only moderate. The numbers of AOB in the landfarming (sandy clay loam) soil were determined with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) and with Most Probable Number (MPN) methods, and potential ammonium oxidation activity was measured with the chlorate inhibition technique. The results indicated presence of large and active AOB populations in the heavily oil-contaminated and urea-fertilised landfarming soil. Assessment of the populations of AOB with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiling and sequence analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes showed that Nitrosospira-like AOB in clusters 2 and 3 were predominant in the oily landfarming soil. This observation was supported by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of the AOB grown on the soil-incubated cation-exchange membranes. The results of this thesis expand the suggested importance of Nitrosospira-like AOB in terrestrial environments to include chronically oil-contaminated soils.

内蒙古大针茅草原碳循环模式初步研究

本文综述了全球碳循环研究、中国陆地生态系统碳循环研究及国内外草地生态系统碳循环研究的理论、方法、最新进展及主要成果。根据碱液吸收法对大针茅草原整个生长季土壤呼吸和地表凋落物分解的CO2排放速率的测定结果，分析了大针茅草原土壤呼吸和凋落物分解的CO2排放速率季节动态，并比较了二者对大针茅草原土壤呼吸和凋落物分解共同的CO2排放量的贡献。探讨了大针茅草原土壤呼吸和凋落物分解的CO2排放速率与各种生物因子、环境因子的关系，以及生物因子、环境因子对大针茅草原土壤呼吸和凋落物分解的CO2排放速率的协同作用;建立了土壤呼吸和凋落物分解的CO2释放速率与各种生物因子、环境因子及与它们的协同效应的回归模型。根据所建立的模型估算了大针茅草原土壤呼吸和凋落物分解CO2年排放速率。最后，计算了大针茅草原生态系统各碳库的贮量及它们之间的流量，建立了大针茅草原生态系统的碳循环模式，初步评价了大针茅草原目前对于大气碳库的源汇功能。 本文初步得出以下结论： 1)在整个观测期内，大针茅草原由土壤呼吸和地表凋落物分解的CO2排放速率的季节动态呈梯形曲线型，它在8月下旬达到最大值2.51gCm-2d-l; 2)大针茅草原土壤呼吸和凋落物分解速率的CO2排放速率季节变化趋势与地上生物量，尤其是地上绿色生物量部分的季节动态有一‘定同步性;地表凋落物层有减缓土壤向大气排放CO2的作用; 3)建立了大针茅草原土壤呼吸和凋落物分解速率的CO2排放速率y(gCm-2d-1)与绿色生物量x1(g)、降水量X2 (mm)的回归模型： Y= -1.556+0.0171 x+0.0169 X2 （当y≤1.5867时） Y= 0.6395 - 0.0059 x+0.0103 X2 （当y>1.5867时） 其相关系数r为0.9954。 4)根据建立的模型估算大针茅草原土壤呼吸和凋落物分解C02年排放速率为367.81gCm-2Y-1; 5)大针茅草原目前对于大气碳库来说是一个碳汇，它每年从大气中净吸收C02速率平均为147.5gCm-2Y-1。

半干旱草原碳素循环与生产力的研究

半干旱草原是脆弱的生态系统，长期受人类活动的强烈影响，受全球变化的作用本地区的气温可能有较大幅度的升高，而降水的变化较小，气候条件更加恶劣。本文根据时空代换的原理，选择主要受降水和人类活动控制的五种主要植物群落，包括羊草群落、大针茅群落、克氏针茅群落、羊草．冷蒿群落和沙蒿群落，从野外直接原状移栽到一起，分别在生长初期、前期、盛期和后期采用动态IRGA法测定了群落的气体交换特征。同时对主要植物种类的功能叶片的光合和蒸腾特征进行了同期测定。此外在野外用密闭室碱液吸收法直接动态测定了大针茅群落的土壤呼吸，并通过调查推算了流域内沙地和锡林河河谷湿地间在水资源利用和生产力方面的相互作用。在此基础上讨论了该区域生产力和碳素循环对气候变化可能图景的响应。文章认为气温升高而降水变化微弱的前景可能导致区域生产力的降低，在气候变化过程中该区域可能是碳源，但是气候稳定后碳素可能基本平衡。

内蒙古锡林河流域草原群落土壤呼吸的时空变异及其影响因子研究

　　土壤呼吸是全球碳循环中的一个重要环节，其对全球碳平衡的影响是近年来人们关注的焦点之一。探讨碳素的失汇(missing sink)问题，对陆地生态系统土壤呼吸的研究是必不可少的。环境因子与土壤呼吸之间的关系可以用于将土壤呼吸从“chamber”水平的测量放大到整个生态系统或更大尺度。而温度、水分和植被状况都是对土壤呼吸有重要影响的因子，随着全球气候的变化，这些因子也会发生相应的改变，在这种情况下，它们极有可能与土壤CO2排放之间形成正反馈。温带草原是主要的陆地生态系统类型之一，目前非常缺乏有关土壤呼吸的研究资料。因此，在2001年生长季，我们在内蒙古锡林河流域南部集水区设定了一条东西长约160km、南北宽约30km的样带，从中选择了11个不同的植物群落，采用碱液吸收法周期性地对这些群落的土壤呼吸速率进行同步测定，并对土壤呼吸的时空动态及其与温度、土壤水分和植被状况之间的关系进行了研究。现将主要研究结果概述如下： 　　①锡林河流域南部集水区的土壤呼吸表现出明显的季节变化和空间变异。温度是影响土壤呼吸季节变化的主要因子之一，指数模型能够较好地揭示各群落土壤呼吸对温度变化的响应，但低温时模型的拟合效果更好。各群落土壤呼吸的季节动态与温度变化不完全同步，表明温度并不是影响土壤呼吸的唯一因子 。 　　②土壤呼吸的温度敏感性在各群落之间存在着一定的差异。春小麦群落的Q10值高于草原群落，说明不同的土地利用方式会影响到土壤呼吸对温度变化的敏感程度。水分对土壤呼吸的温度敏感性有重要影响，秩相关分析的结果表明，土壤水分与Q10值之间存在着显著的正相关关系。此外，依据不同土壤层次的温度得出的Q10值各不相同，基于变化幅度大的浅层土壤温度和气温得出的Q10值较小，而根据变化幅度小的深层土壤温度得出的Q10值较大。 　　③水分对各群落的土壤呼吸也有较大影响，但其影响程度有一定的季节差异，生长旺季水分对土壤呼吸的影响显著高于其它季节。从各群落的具体情况来看，水分对土壤呼吸的影响明显受制于群落的水分供应状况。水分供应状况比较好的和水分变化幅度小的群落中，土壤呼吸与水分之间没有显著的函数关系，而水分相对欠缺的群落则存有显著的线性关系。消除温度的影响后，这种线性关系显著增强。土壤水分含量较低的芨芨草群落中，土壤呼吸与表层水分之间的关系也不明显，这与芨芨草根系分布较深，能够利用土壤中较深层次的水分有关。 　　④土壤呼吸季节变化与植被之间的关系与各群落内水分状况以及植被对水分的利用机制有关。所有群落土壤呼吸速率随着绿色活体生物量的增长有上升趋势，且在水分供应充足的群落和植被较为耐旱或能够利用深层土壤水的群落中，这二者之间呈显著或极显著的指数关系，其它群落中相关关系不够显著。由于植被立枯量大小反映了水热的综合状况，所以群落的土壤呼吸速率随立枯量的增长呈下降趋势，二者之间的关系也可以用指数方程来表示。 　　⑤土壤呼吸在锡林河流域南部的空间变异主要受水分和植被状况的影响。总体来看，土壤水分含量高、地上生物量（包括绿色活体生物量）大或地上净第一性生产力高的草地群落，其土壤呼吸速率也较高。基础呼吸速率对于改进土壤呼吸模型在时间和空间上的预测精度有重要意义。我们的研究结果表明，在平均温度低、水分状况好、地上和地下生物量大、地上净第一性生产力高的地方，基础土壤呼吸速率也相应较高。

锡林河流域一个放牧草原群落土壤呼吸及其影响因子的研究

本文综述了草原群落土壤呼吸研究的理论、方法、最新进展和主要成果。从2001年6月5日到10月15日，在内蒙古锡林河流域的一个典型草原群落放牧地段用气相色谱法对土壤呼吸进行了测定，并同期观测相应的环境因子，分析了它们之间的相互关系，并根据根系生物量和土壤呼吸的相关性外推出根系呼吸占土壤总呼吸的比例。同时，采用碱液吸收法对该草原群落和一个沼泽化草甸群落的土壤呼吸进行了比对测定，比较在不同生境下土壤呼吸速率的差异。另外，重点比较了两种常用的土壤呼吸测量方法——碱液吸收法和气相色谱法对典型草原群落土壤呼吸的测量效果。主要研究成果如下： 1．在草原群落，生物量（包括地上和地下生物量）、温度（包括气温和土壤温度）和水分及土壤呼吸的季节变化均呈不规则的波动曲线;土壤呼吸与土壤湿度高度相关，与温度尤其是土壤温度以及地下生物量之间存在着一定的相关性，但和地上生物量及绿色生物量之间几乎没有关系。 2．草原群落和草甸群落土壤呼吸的季节动态基本一致，均出现了两个峰值，分别出现在6月底和7月底，它们的变化范围分别为312.8~1738.9 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1 和 354.6 ~2235.6 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1，日平均土壤呼吸速率分别为785.9 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1 和1349.6 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1，草甸群落的土壤呼吸速率明显高于草原群落; 3．土壤水分是草原群落土壤呼吸的主要限制因子，但对草甸群落的土壤呼吸变化却基本没有影响;草甸群落中，地上总生物量与土壤呼吸速率间没有显著的相关关系，但地上部分绿色生物量与土壤呼吸间存在着显著的幂函数关系，而在草原群落中，土壤呼吸速率与地上活生物量或地上总生物量的相关关系均很弱。 4．在草原群落，根系呼吸占土壤总呼吸的比例为60.7% - 93.3%，平均为82%; 5．碱液吸收法和气相色谱法的测定结果具有很高的相关性（R2=0.7563），它们的季节动态基本一致，变化范围分别为从249.3~1795.1 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1和从312.8~1738.9 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1，平均值分别为634.2 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1和802.7 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1，碱液吸收法的测量值是气相色谱法的约1.4倍。