Spatial Patterns of Soil Respiration Links Above and Belowground Processes along a Boreal Aspen Fire Chronosequence.

ABSTRACT: Fire in boreal ecosystems is known to affect CO2 efflux from forest soils, which is commonly termed soil respiration (Rs). However, there is limited information on how fire and recovery from this disturbance affects spatial variation in Rs. The main objective of this study was to quantify the spatial variability of Rs over the growing season in a boreal aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) fire chronosequence. The chronosequence included three stands in northern Alberta; a post fire stand (1 year old, PF), a stand at canopy closure (9 years old, CC), and a mature stand (72 years old, MA). Soil respiration, temperature and moisture were measured monthly from May to August using an intensive spatial sampling protocol (n = 42, minimum lag = 2 m). Key aboveground and belowground properties were

SUBMITTER: Das Gupta S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5104365 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature