The responses of soil respiration to changed precipitation and increased temperature in desert grassland in northern China. (October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yi; Xie, Ying-Zhong; Ma, Hong-Bin; Zhang, Juan; Jing, Le; Wang, Yu-Tao; Li, Jian-Ping
• Is Part Of: Journal of arid environments. Volume 193(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-10
• Subjects: Climate change -- Soil respiration -- Soil CO2 flux -- Soil temperature -- Soil moisture -- Soil physical and chemical properties; Arid regions ecology -- Periodicals; Arid regions -- Periodicals; Écologie des régions arides -- Périodiques; Régions arides -- Périodiques; 577.54
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2021.104579
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-1963

Abstract

Abstract: Soil respiration (SR) is an important process and the largest source of carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems, which has a significant impact on global climate and environmental changes. The fluctuation of temperature and precipitation caused by climate change is a driving force for the dynamic change of SR. Therefore, we established the field experiment with 5 levels of precipitation by rainout shelters and 2 levels of temperature by Open-top Chamber (OTC) to determine the SR dynamic in the desert grassland in northwest China. The results show that: soil temperature (ST) and soil moisture (SM) are affected by changed precipitation and increased temperature, but not greatly. Overall, it can be seen that the SR continue to increase with the precipitation increasing and the temperature rising. SR has no significant correlation with above-ground living biomass (ALB), but is significantly correlated with root biomass (RB), so SR mainly comes from the root system, and ALB and RB both increase with rainfall rising. Soil physical and chemical properties are related to SR, but not significantly. These findings provide a reliable theoretical basis for formulating a reasonable response strategy in desert steppe ecosystems. Highlights: Ecological responses of desert-steppe SR to temperature increases and precipitation changes along with their ecological sensitivity indexes. Correlations between SR, soil temperatures, soil moisture, and other soil properties and plant biomass in the desert grasslands. This research provides a reliable theoretical basis for formulating a reasonable response strategy for desert steppes.