Winter soil respiration during soil-freezing process in a boreal forest in Northeast China

Aims boreal forest is the largest and contains the most soil carbon among global terrestrial biomes. soil respiration during the prolonged winter period may play an important role in the carbon cycles in boreal forests. This study aims to explore the characteristics of winter soil respiration in the boreal forest and to show how it is regulated by environmental factors, such as soil temperature, soil moisture and snowpack. Methods soil respiration in an old-growth larch forest (Larix gmelinii ruppr.) in Northeast China was intensively measured during the winter soilfreezing process in 2011 using an automated soil C o2 flux system. The effects of soil temperature, soil moisture and thin snowpack on soil respiration and its temperature sensitivity were investigated.