Root respiration drives CO2 emissions in mine reclaimed soil during winter.
Root respiration in mine reclaimed soil was studied to understand its impact on the ecosystem. The researchers measured soil respiration, root respiration, temperature, water content, and root biomass in different soil thickness areas. They found that root respiration is strongly influenced by soil temperature, with the highest rates in soil with a covering thickness of 25-45 cm. Root respiration contributes significantly to total soil respiration, with an average ratio of 51.15% during the non-growing season. This suggests that root respiration is a key factor in estimating CO2 emissions in mine reclaimed soil.