[Partitioning ecosystem respiration of a Platycladus orientalis forest in the west mountainous area of Beijing, China using stable carbon isotope].

Based on stable carbon isotope, we quantitatively partitioned ecosystem respiration in a Platycladus orientalis forest in the west mountainous area of Beijing. Results from this study could lay the foundation for carbon exchange research in forest ecosystems of this region. The spectroscopy technique was used to continuously measure CO concentrations and δC values at different height of the forest. Soil and branch chambers were used for measuring nighttime δC values in underground and aboveground respiration, and then the proportions of respiration components were calculated. Combined with soil respiration efflux measurement, ecosystem respiration was then quantitatively partitioned. The results showed that δC values of respiratory components fluctuated, which ranged from -31.74‰ to -23.33‰ in aboveground respiration of plants and from -32.11‰ to -27.74‰ in soil respiration. The δC values of ecosystem respiration was at the middle of those ranges. Soil respiration averaged 1.70 μmol·m·s at night, accounting for 47%-91% of ecosystem respiration. Aboveground respiration averaged 0.72 μmol·m·s, contributing less to ecosystem respiration. Daytime respiration based on isotope mixing model calculation had greater variability than that based on temperature response model, with a mean value of 2.31 μmol·m·s and 2.28 μmol·m·s, respectively.