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Chinese Journal of Ecology ›› 2025, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (2): 406-416.doi: 10.13292/j.1000-4890.202502.040

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Response of respiration of soil aggregates to temperature in subtropical forests.

BAI Xue1,2, LIANG Danping2, CHEN Liuhuan1,2, YAN Xiangting2, ZHAO Yujiao2, LIANG Jianhong3,4, ZHU Jing1,2*   

  1. (1Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection Ministry of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541006, Guangxi, China; 2College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541006, Guangxi, China; 3Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences/Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, Ministry of Natural Resources/Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin 541004, Guangxi, China; 4Key Laboratory of Geochemical Exploration, Institute of Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, Hebei, China).

  • Online:2025-02-10 Published:2025-02-10

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Abstract: We explored the differences in respiration rates of soil aggregates in different soil types in subtropical forests in China and their response to temperature changes, by focusing on neutral limestone soil developed from carbonate rocks and acidic red soil developed from granite cataclasite. The respiration rates of soil aggregates with different sizes (0.106-0.25, 0.25-0.5, and 0.5-2 mm) were measured at different temperatures (5, 15, 25, 35 ℃) after 1, 3, 7, 10, 13, 17, and 21 days of incubation. The cumulative respiration rate, contribution rate of soil respiration, and its temperature sensitivity (Q10) were estimated to examine the differences and main controlling factors at different temperatures and aggregate scales. The results showed that the cumulative respiration rates of the O/A horizon and AB horizon of limestone soil were generally higher than that of red soil. The influencing factors of soil cumulative respiration rate in different temperature ranges were different. Organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and C/N were the main factors at 15-35 ℃, while pH and C/N were the main factors at 5 ℃. At the aggregate scale, there was no significant difference in the cumulative respiration rates among different aggregate classes of limestone soil and red soil at the same temperature. The Q10 values of different aggregates in limestone soil were higher than those in red soil. There was no significant difference among individual aggregate classes of limestone soil and red soil. The contribution rate of respiration of large aggregates was the largest in the O/A horizon of red soil as well as the O/A horizon and AB horizon of limestone soil, while that in the AB horizon of red soil was the opposite. This study revealed that compared to the acidic red soil, the respiration rate of limestone soil in subtropical forest ecosystems showed more significant positive feedback to future global warming, highlighting the need to emphasize its contribution to global carbon balance.


Key words: subtropical forest, karst, soil respiration, aggregate, temperature sensitivity (Q10)