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Spatial and temporal effects of soil temperature and moisture and the relation to fine root density on root and soil respiration in a mature apple orchard

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Abstract

We identified the role of various soil parameters and root density as drivers of soil respiration (Rs) in an apple orchard, measured during different periods of the year and at a range of distances from trees, in plots with a different history of nutrient supply. Rs was measured in April, May, August and December and studied in relation to soil temperature and moisture, total soil C and N, as well as to fine root density and medium-, and large-sized root density and root N concentration. The study also aimed to partition Rs by applying the root regression technique. Rs ranged from 0.06 in December to 1.49 g CO2 m−2 h−1 in August. Average soil temperature alone explained up to 71% of the annual variability of Rs, while soil water content was negatively correlated to Rs. Fertilization, soil C and N concentration and root N had negligible effects on Rs. Fine root density, but not medium- and large-sized root density, contributed to explaining part of the yearly variability of Rs and proved to be a good predictor in December, when the statistical significance of the regression made it possible to estimate the autotrophic component of Rs as being about 35% of total soil respiration.

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Acknowledgements

The research was funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research through the National Project "PRIN 2008, CARBON CYCLE IN MANAGED TREE ECOSYSTEMS" and by internal funds of the Free University of Bolzano/Bozen to M.T. We thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fruit Tree and Woody Plant Sciences, Bologna University, Viale Fanin 46, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    Christian Ceccon, Pietro Panzacchi, Francesca Scandellari, Luca Prandi & Maurizio Ventura

  2. Faculty of Computer Science, Free University of Bolzano/Bozen, Piazza Università 1, 39100, Bolzano, Italy

    Barbara Russo

  3. The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Aberdeen, AB15 8QJ, UK

    Peter Millard

  4. Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano/Bozen, Piazza Università 5, 39100, Bolzano, Italy

    Christian Ceccon & Massimo Tagliavini

  5. CSRC, University of New Hampshire, 39 College Rd, Durham, NH, 03824, USA

    Francesca Scandellari

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  1. Christian Ceccon
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Correspondence to Massimo Tagliavini.

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Ceccon, C., Panzacchi, P., Scandellari, F. et al. Spatial and temporal effects of soil temperature and moisture and the relation to fine root density on root and soil respiration in a mature apple orchard. Plant Soil 342, 195–206 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0684-8

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