| Soil respiration rates as well as soil temperature and moisture at a 10-year-old rock tea plantation were measured from March to May in 2014, and soil respiration response to soil temperature and soil water content at different soil depths was discussed. The results showed that soil respiration rate varied from 0.63 to 3.56 μmol CO2/m2·s, and the Q10 value ranged from 1.74 to 2.52 in growing season. Soil respiration rate exhibited a unimodal curve during 08:00-18:00 with a maximum during 14:00 and a minimum during 8:00. Soil respiration rate increased with the soil temperature increasing, so soil respiration rate was significantly higher in April and May than that in March. With the exponential model, there was a positive, exponential relationship between soil respiration rate and soil temperature at different soil depths, and the soil temperature in 10-15 cm soil depth had the greatest effect on soil respiration rate. The Q10 value was negatively related to soil temperature at different depths and the Q10 value was the largest in March or at 10-15 cm soil depth. Soil respiration rate had no significant correlation with soil water content in different soil depths at the sites. |
