The Development on the Soil Respiration of Grassland Ecosystem

The flux of carbon from grassland to the atmosphere occurs primarily in the form of CO2,and is the result of soil respiration,which makes that the soil respiration is one of the major pathways to influence the global carbon cycle. Increasing release of carbon from the soils could significantly exacerbate the increase of atmospheric CO2 and reinforce the greenhouse-warming effect. In this paper,the commonly used methods of measuring soil respiration were summarized and compared in particular. Factors affecting soil respiration, such as natural conditionts and human activities, were discussed. Finally,four primary methods have been reviewed to distinguish root respiration from total soil respiration including components method,root exclusion method,root biomass ratiocination method and isotope method. The paper suggested that the more studies are necessary in the future work.