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Abstract

Paro, R.M., N.V. Nkongolo, S.S. Johnson, K. Schmidt, N.O. Hoilett and S.J. Adisa. 2008. Soil thermal properties as potential controlling factors for CO₂, N₂O and CH₄ emissions from a secondary forest in central Missouri. JEMREST 5:00-00

Several soil properties play an important role in greenhouse gases production and emissions. However, studies on the relationship between these emissions and soil properties are limited to soil temperature and moisture. Therefore, information is missing on how other properties such as soil thermal properties affect greenhouse gases emissions. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential relationships between soil thermal conductivity (K), resistivity (R), diffusivity (D), specific heat (C) and CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O fluxes in a secondary forest of central Missouri. The study was conducted at Lincoln University Busby Farm. The study site was a secondary forest dominated by Oak and Hickory trees on a Gatewood-Moko Silty Loam (Oxyaquic Hapludalfs) soil. Soil air samples for CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O analysis were collected from twenty static chambers that were installed since 2003 in a 0.49 ha plot. Samples were analyzed within two hours of collection using a Shimadzu GC-14. Results showed that in 2006 CO₂ fluxes ranged from 10.41 to 172.90 mg C-CO₂ m^-2 h^-1, N₂O from -54.450 to 40.390 ug N-N₂O m^-2h^-1 and CH₄ from -203.48 to 91.94 mg C-CH₄ m^-2 h^-1. In 2007, CO₂ranged from 2.2178 to195.88 mg C-CO₂ m^-2 h^-1, N₂O from -13.786 to 45.482 ug N-N₂O m^-2h^-1 and CH₄ from -143.32 to 122.81 mg C-CH₄ m^-2 h^-1. CO₂ linearly correlated with (K), (R), (T) and (D) whereas N₂O only correlated with (R). N₂O correlated with (C). These results suggest that soil thermal properties may be important parameters to include in predictive models of greenhouse gases emissions.