Abstract

MÜLLER, E., ROTTMANN, N., BERGSTERMANN, A., WILDHAGEN, H., JOERGENSEN, R.G. 

Archievs of Agronomy and Soil Science 57, 597-608 (2011)

In this field study, three methods for determining soil CO₂ evolution rates were compared: (1) a static chamber method and (2) a dynamic chamber method, both with gas chromatographic (GC) analysis of air samples, and (3) a dynamic chamber system using a portable infrared gas analyzer (CIRAS). The mean CO₂ evolution rate in the field increased in the order static chamber-GC 5 dynamic chamber-GC 5 dynamic chamber-CIRAS by 40%. The CO₂ evolution rates obtained using the three methods were significantly correlated. None of the three methods was significantly affected by soil moisture or soil temperature. This has been repeatedly observed by others, but is still not fully understood. The difference between air and soil temperature had strong negative effects on both GC methods, but not on the CIRAS system.