
	International Journal of Soil Science
	Year: 2015 \| Volume: 10 \| Issue: 3 \| Page No.: 117-129 DOI: 10.3923/ijss.2015.117.129

Effects of Rewetting of Air-Dry Soil and Adaptation to Low Matric and Osmotic Potential

Nasrin Chowdhury

Abstract: When conducting incubation experiments to measure soil respiration in response to a given treatment in soils of different texture, it is important to have baseline information about the soils and to ensure that the effect of the storage or pre-incubation conditions on the results are minimized. Three experiments were conducted with up to seven soils (3 non-saline, 4 saline) to investigate (1) The relationship between soil water content or water potential and soil respiration, (2) The time required until soil respiration is stabilized after rewetting of air-dry soil and (3) If pre-incubation at a given matric or osmotic potential changes the response of soil respiration to matric or osmotic potential. The texture of the soils varied from sand to sandy loam. Cumulative respiration showed an optimum curve in response to differential soil water content in all 7 soils, but the maximal cumulative respiration was reached at different water content in the soil, being 45 g kg^–1 for the non-saline sand and 200 g kg^–1 for the non-saline sandy loam. However, when expressed against water potential, maximal cumulative respiration was achieved between 0 and -1 MPa in all soils. Rewetting of air-dry soil induced a flush of respiration in the first 1-2 days, but respiration rates stabilized 7-8 days after rewetting in all soils. Pre-incubation at low matric or osmotic potential for two weeks did not significantly affect soil respiration at low matric or osmotic potential in the following two weeks compared to soils which had been pre-incubated at optimal matric potential and high osmotic potential. In conclusion, when comparing the response of respiration to water availability among soils of different texture it is important to consider water potential and not water content. Furthermore, an adaptation period of 2 weeks does not seem to increase the tolerance of soil respiration to low osmotic or matric potential compared to non-adapted soils.

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How to cite this article:

Nasrin Chowdhury , 2015. Effects of Rewetting of Air-Dry Soil and Adaptation to Low Matric and Osmotic Potential. International Journal of Soil Science, 10: 117-129.

DOI: 10.3923/ijss.2015.117.129

URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijss.2015.117.129

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