Effects of grazing on soil respiration of Leymus chinensis steppe

Soil respiration, canopy temperature, soil moisture, above and belowground biomass were observed in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005 at fenced and grazed typical Leymus chinensis steppes in Inner Mongolia. Based on soil respiration data obtained by the enclosed chamber method, diurnal and seasonal dynamics of soil respiration and their controlling factors were analyzed. The effects of grazing on diurnal and seasonal soil respirations were not significant. The diurnal patterns of soil respiration could be expressed as a one-humped curve and the lowest and highest values appearing from 1:00 to 3:00 and from 11:00 to 14:00, respectively. Canopy temperature had a strong influence on the diurnal variation of soil respiration. The rates of soil respiration rose to a seasonal maximum from the middle of June to the end of July and then gradually decreased. Soil moisture explained about 71.3% and 58.3% of the seasonal variation in soil respiration at fenced and grazed plots, respectively, and canopy temperature only 33.9% and 39.7%. Soil respiration rate, above and belowground biomass and soil moisture were significantly increased at the fenced plots compared to the grazed plots (P < 0.05), but the difference was not significant in canopy temperature. The mean soil respiration rates were 247.85 and 108.31 mgCO(2) m(-2) h(-1)during the whole experiment at fenced and grazed plots, respectively. Soil respiration rate was enhanced significantly at the fenced plots, which might attribute to the increasing soil moisture and biomass. The response of soil respiration rate to grazing varied among different sites and might be related to local soil moisture status.