A Study on the Soil Respiration Rate as an Index for the Pedogenic Process After Reclamation

Abstract

Soil respiration activity of EXPO'70 Commemorative Park forest, which is a large scale reclamation work of about ten years ago, and an evergreen broad-leaved forest, which is considered to be a control, was measured by the alkali absorption method and the CO₂ meter method to diagnose the pedogenic process after reclamation. And results are as follows:(1) Recovering status of EXPO forest soils was roughly estimated to be 50 to 70%(by measurements in situ) or 40 to 50%(by soil core measurements in the laboratory) of matured control soil, (2) Significant relationships between soil respiration rate and stand growth characteristics, such as total basal area per ha or cover percentage, were recognized, (3) Newly designed method using CO₂ meter, which has a glass electrode sensor, was useful to determine soil respiration rate quickly in summer.