Soil respiration in relation to abiotic factors, forest floor litter, root biomass and litter quality in forest ecosystems of Siwaliks in Northern India

Abstract

Soil water and litter moisture had significant effect on CO 2 rates (r=0.64 to 0.87, P<0.01). Under laboratory conditions, carbon mineralization in amended soil was influenced by nitrogen, lignin and C:N ratio of litter. Mean annual carbon output from the soil was 667, 519 and 345 g C m −2 yr −1 for mixed, pine and scrub forests, respectively. CO 2 −C output in soil respiration exceeded the input of carbon in litter deposition by 2 to 30% and was 1.76 to 3.40 times higher than the estimated loss of carbon in litter decomposition