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Root Biomass And Other Soil Properties Affecting The Co2 Flush From Laboratory Dried And Rewetted Soils, Audrey E. Laffely

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil that has been dried and rewetted has been observed to release a ‘burst’ or ‘flush’ of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) upon rewetting. This CO 2 flush has been proposed as an indicator of soil health. This may be a valuable indicator of soil health, however the CO 2 flush has yet to be fully evaluated. Roots and root exudates influence the soil in a variety of ways that may impact the CO 2 flush, such as increasing aggregation, organic carbon (C), and microbial biomass. We conducted both field and greenhouse experiments to elucidate the relationship of root biomass …