Soil Carbon Balance in a Clonal Eucalyptus Plantation in Congo: Effects of Logging on Carbon Inputs and Soil CO sub(2) Efflux

Soil carbon dioxide efflux in clear-cut and intact plots in order to quantify the impact of harvest on soil respiration in an intensively managed Eucalyptus plantation was measured. Soil carbon dioxide effluxes showed a pronounced seasonal trend, which was well related to the pattern of precipitation and soil water content and were always significantly lower in the clear-cut plots than in the intact plots. On an annual basis, soil respiration represented 1.57 and 0.91 kg sub(c)m super(-2) yr super(-1) in intact and clear-cut plots, respectively. Soil carbon dioxide efflux showed a pronounced seasonal trend that was well related to the pattern pf precipitation and soil water content. Heterotrophic respiration in clear-cut plots was estimated at 1.18 kg sub(c)m super(-2)yr super(-1) whereas it was only 0.65 kg sub(c)m super(-2)yr super(-1) in intact plots.