Indian Journal of Science and Technology

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the annual rate of Soil Respiration (SR) in different vegetation uses in the University of Sucre, analyzing its relationship with temperature, soil moisture and some properties of soils. Methods/Analysis: It includes the selection of the sampled areas, the location of the plots and the measurement of the SR, temperature and soil moisture in each one over a year. The determination of some properties of soils and the use of statistical software that allows comparing data between each of the soils and determining the existence of relationship between the measured variables. Findings: The organic matter in the soil turned out to be the main limiting factor of the SR, greater amount of organic matter favors the SR. The SR was not related to the soil temperature but to the soil moisture where ranges were formed that optimizes or limits the SR. The area with the greatest diversity of plant species (native vegetation) had the highest SR average (46.42 μmol CO2 /m2 s), followed by Hura crepitans (42.04 μmol CO2 /m2 s), Pasture (41.66 μmol CO2 /m2 s) and Tectona grandis (40.65 μmol CO2 /m2 s), these differences were due to the characteristics of each soil and the sun exposure of each one. Novelty/Improvement: The accumulated Soil Respiration ASR resulted to have a direct linear relationship with respect to time. Based on this, the annual SR rate was estimated between 49.3 and 49.4 mol CO2 /m2 in the area with native vegetation, 47.5 and 47.6 mol CO2 /m2 in H. crepitans, 44.8 and 44.9 mol CO2 /m2 in pasture and 44.3 and 44.4 mol CO2 /m2 in T. grandis.

Keywords: Organic Matter, Soil Moisture, Soil Respiration, Soil Uses, Temperature