Soil respiration patterns and controls in limestone cedar glades

• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-014-2348-6
• Publication Date: 2014-12-08T14:26:37Z
• Authors: Jennifer Cartwright; Dafeng Hui
• Keywords: Soil respiration; Shrubland

Drivers of soil respiration (R s ) in rock outcrop ecosystems remain poorly understood. We investigated these drivers limestone cedar glades, known for their concentrations endemic plant species and seasonal hydrologic extremes (xeric saturated conditions), compared our findings to those temperate grasslands semi-arid ecosystems. measured R , temperature (T ), volumetric water content (SWC), organic matter (SOM), depth, vegetation cover monthly over 16 mo analyzed effects variables on . Seasonally, primarily tracked T (r2 = 0.77; P < 0.01), however was depressed during a summer drought. SOM highly variable spatially, incorporating into the model dramatically improved performance. Both shallow sparse were also associated with lower Soil SOM, important glades. Seasonal patterns reflected mesic more than ecosystems, that most year.