Estimation of the soil respiration using the constant pressure volumetric respirometer and the flow-through respirometer UNI-RES10

Among commonly employed methods of fast estimation of the soil biological a ctivity a method of the oxygen consumption determination is used. The main goal of this research was an estimation of a soil respiratory metabolism us ing the constant pressure volumetric respirometer and also using the flow-t hrough respirometer UNI-RES10. Soil respiration measurements were done usin g both types of respirometers in temperatures 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 deg rees C, keeping up the constant humidity. The investigated soil was a soil humus belonged to organic soils from the Dziekanow Lesny field. The soil re spiration was also measured for 8 plant communities in Sudeten Mountains wi th various respiration intensity. After the experiments it was stated that both measuring instruments could be used for the soil metabolism evaluation . Readouts obtained from the UNI-RES10 respirometer are smaller then readou ts when using the constant pressure volumetric respirometer. The flow-throu gh respirometers have to be calibrated to obtain results comparable with th ese from volumetric ones. The volumetric and flow-through respirometry meth ods are useful for the comparative analysis of metabolism levels.