›› 2013, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (3): 430-437.

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Dynamic Change of Soil Respiration in Haloxylon ammodendron Community in Southern Edge of Junggar Basin in Snowmelt Season

 XIE  Ji-Ping1,2,3, ZHONG  Wen-Zhao4, HUANG  Gang1,3, LI  Yan1,3, WU  Lin-Feng1,3   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
    2. Graduate University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    3. Fukang Station for Desert Ecosystem Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fukang 831500, Xinjiang, China;
    4. The 222 Division, Xinjiang Corps of Production and Construction, Fukang 831500, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2012-09-09 Revised:2013-01-28 Online:2013-05-15 Published:2013-05-16

Abstract: Snowmelt affects highly the change of soil moisture content and temperature in topsoil in snow thawing season, and hence affects soil respiration in temperate arid land. In snow thawing season in early spring 2012, a carbon flux chamber was used to observe the dynamic change of soil respiration in Haloxylon ammodendron community in southern marginal zone of the Gurbantonggut Desert. The results showed that the variation of soil respiration rate was significant and ranged from 0.2 to 1.2 μmol•m-2•s-1. In snow thawing season, the mean soil respiration rate was increased at first and then decreased, and its maximum value was decreased with the decrease of soil moisture content. Soil respiration under bushwood was significantly higher than that out of the bushwood, and its variation under and out of the bushwood was similar. There was a significant correlation between soil moisture content and maximum soil respiration in snow thawing season, and also a significant correlation between soil temperature and soil respiration at daily scale. The study results revealed that there was a stimulating effect of snow thawing on soil respiration, and the change of snow cover in early spring affected significantly soil respiration in the Gurbantonggut Desert.

Key words: soil respiration, snowmelt season in spring, Haloxylon ammodendron community, soil moisture content, spring, Junggar Basin