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Soil respiration patterns and controls in limestone cedar glades

April 1, 2015

Aims

Drivers of soil respiration (Rs) in rock outcrop ecosystems remain poorly understood. We investigated these drivers in limestone cedar glades, known for their concentrations of endemic plant species and for seasonal hydrologic extremes (xeric and saturated conditions), and compared our findings to those in temperate grasslands and semi-arid ecosystems.

Methods

We measured Rs, soil temperature (Ts), volumetric soil water content (SWC), soil organic matter (SOM), soil depth, and vegetation cover monthly over 16 mo and analyzed effects of these variables on Rs.

Results

Seasonally, Rs primarily tracked Ts(r2=0.77; P < 0.01); however Rs was depressed during a summer drought. SOM was highly variable spatially, and incorporating SOM effects into the Rs model dramativally improved model performance. Both shallow soil and sparse vegetation cover were also associated with lower Rs.

Conclusions

Soil depth, SOM, and vegetation cover were important drivers of Rs in limestone cedar glades. Seasonal Rs patterns reflected those for mesic temperate grasslands more than for semi-arid ecosystems, in that Rs primarily tracked temperature for most of the year.

Publication Year 2015
Title Soil respiration patterns and controls in limestone cedar glades
DOI 10.1007/s11104-014-2348-6
Authors Jennifer M. Cartwright, Dafeng Hui
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Plant and Soil
Index ID 70145179
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Tennessee Water Science Center