Comparison of soil respiration rates in agricultural, rangeland, and urban ecosystems at semiarid areas in Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18387/polibotanica.60.6Keywords:
electrical conductivity, carbon dioxide, organic matter, pH, TextureAbstract
The activity of microorganisms and vegetation roots generates soil respiration by releasing CO₂ into the atmosphere. This process requires an assessment to quantify the impacts on semiarid ecosystems. The objective was to compare soil respiration rates in three ecosystems: agricultural, rangeland, and urban, also correlation with soil physical and chemical properties. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0 to 15 cm at five sites with five replicates in each ecosystem. The variables evaluated were mineral particle content, bulk density, porosity, organic matter, alkalinity, salinity, and soil respiration. The C-CO2 emission was assessed on change in the electrical conductivity measurement of 0.5% KOH in aerobic incubations. Significant differences were detected for sand, silt, salinity, organic matter and soil respiration, but bulk density, clay, and pH did not present significant differences between ecosystems. The lowest soil respiration rate (mg C-CO2 kg-1 día-1) was observed in the rangeland, which in turn had a lower organic matter content, and lower porosity. The agricultural soil showed more respiration than the rangeland soil, but less than the urban park soil, which was twice as high as the agricultural soil, and presented lower salinity and higher amounts of organic matter. Significant correlations were found between respiration rates and the organic matter content and sand percentage. The trends in soil respiration observed between ecosystems contribute to the understanding of CO2 emissions in semi-arid areas, and impact on climate change.
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