Soil Respiration in Disturbed forest Ecosystems of Central Himalaya

Abstract

An in-situ soil respiration study was conducted in landslide damaged and undamaged pine and oak forests of Central Himalaya to evaluate the seasonal differences in CO₂ evolution in different components of the soil system. Higher respiration rates were observed in rainy season (September) across all sites followed by summer and low in winter season. Soil respiration on 8 and 30 year old damaged sites was 86 and 20% less than the undamaged site, respectively. Across all sites increase in soil respiration was positively related to age of site. Litter removal reduced total respiration by 18%. Bulk density, soil N concentration and air temperature explained 90, 78 and 80% variability in total respiration. The respiration rates of Central Himalayan forests roughly equal the respiration rates of tropical rain forests.