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Soil CO2 emission, microbial biomass, and microbial respiration of woody and grassy areas in Moscow (Russia)

  • SUITMA 9: Urbanization — Challenges and Opportunities for Soil Functions and Ecosystem Services
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Urbanization significantly changes the carbon balance of the terrestrial ecosystem, an important component of which is soil CO2 emission. One of the main sources of soil CO2 emission is microbial decomposition of soil organic matter. In this regard, we hypothesized a relationship between soil CO2 emission and soil microbial properties (biomass, respiratory activity) in Moscow megapolis areas.

Materials and methods

Soil CO2 emission was measured monthly (May–October) from the surface (or soil respiration, RS) and after the sequential removal of the two top 10-cm soil layers at woody (forest park, public garden) and grassy (grassland, arable) areas. Soil temperature (ST) and soil water content were recorded in 0–10-, 10–20-, and 20–30-cm layers, from which samples were taken to measure microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and basal (microbial) respiration (BR).

Results and discussion

RS ranged from 0.3 to 14.7 μmol СО2 m−2 s−1, with average values of 1.0, 5.4, 7.5, and 8.8 μmol СО2 m−2 s−1 for arable, forest park, public garden, and grassland, respectively. Removing the topsoil layer in woody areas resulted in higher CO2 release to the atmosphere than in grassy ones. Topsoil Cmic was on average 110, 331, 517, and 549 μg C g−1 and BR was 0.42, 0.87, 0.47, and 0.92 μg C-СО2 g−1 h−1 for arable, forest park, public garden, and grassland, respectively. Subsoil Cmic and BR were 1.5–3 times and 30–62% lower than in topsoil. RS in woody areas was more strongly dependent on ST than in grassy areas. Strong positive correlation between RS and topsoil Сmic and Corg (R2 = 0.98–0.99) was found.

Conclusions

The RS of different Moscow’s areas might be predicted on the base of soil Cmic or Corg experimental data.

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Acknowledgements

The field and laboratory experiments were partly supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research Grant No. 16-34-00398 and the Presidium’s Program of Russian Academy of Sciences No. 41. Data processing and statistical modeling was performed with the support of the Russian Science Foundation project № 17-77-20046. The paper was prepared with the support of the “RUDN University program 5-100”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow region, Russia

    Sofia Sushko, Nadezhda Ananyeva, Kristina Ivashchenko & Valeriy Kudeyarov

  2. Agrarian-Technological Institute, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia

    Kristina Ivashchenko & Vyacheslav Vasenev

Authors
  1. Sofia Sushko
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  2. Nadezhda Ananyeva
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  3. Kristina Ivashchenko
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  4. Vyacheslav Vasenev
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  5. Valeriy Kudeyarov
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Correspondence to Nadezhda Ananyeva.

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Responsible editor: Richard K. Shaw

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Sushko, S., Ananyeva, N., Ivashchenko, K. et al. Soil CO2 emission, microbial biomass, and microbial respiration of woody and grassy areas in Moscow (Russia). J Soils Sediments 19, 3217–3225 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-018-2151-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-018-2151-8

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