Basal soil respiration in black loam farmland was studied over three years in China. Soil respiration varied seasonally and annually, with higher rates in 2009 compared to 2010 and 2011. Soil temperature and moisture influenced respiration, with a bivariate model showing better accuracy than univariate models. Soil respiration was negatively correlated with annual precipitation but not with air temperature. The annual carbon loss from the soil was estimated at 2.5 Mg per hectare.