Estimation of daily soil CO2 flux using a single-time-point measurement

Wang, H., McConkey, B., Curtin, D. and Cutforth, H. 2010. Estimation of daily soil CO2 flux using a single-time-point measurement. Can. J. Soil Sci. 90: 517-522. Information on soil CO2 emissions can be used in conjunction with data for C inputs from plants to estimate the soil C balance. Many studies assume a single-time-point measurement of soil CO2 flux taken in a day (F-h) is equal to its daily average value (F-d), which could result in over- or underestimation. A model using F-h, the temperature at the time the F-h is measured (T-h), daily average temperature (T-d) and Q(10) factor to predict F-d was tested with extensive measurements of soil CO2 flux, temperature and moisture over 60 d from various treatments (no-till wheat, summer fallow and stubble, etc.) on a Swinton silt loam near Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada. A distinct hysteresis between flux and soil moisture was observed following rain events. Therefore, data for five rainy days were excluded from the analysis as the model does not consider the effect of hysteresis. Calculated Q(10) factors were 1.86 and 1.54 for soil (Ts) and air (Ta) temperatures, respectively. The model using either Ts or Ta improved prediction of F-d in both calibration (49 d) and validation (6 d) datasets compared with F-h. Values of F-h measured in 6 yr were higher than modelled values of F-d in 96% of the 1602 treatment-days, hence if F-h is assumed to be equal to F-d, the averaged overestimation would be 17%.