We conclude that the biological components contributing to RS at the forest site of San Rossore were mostly from heterotrophic origin, and constrained within the top 20–30 cm of the soil profile. Our results reflected the soil respiration processes which characterize a water- and nutrient-limited forest sites such as San Rossore (Rosenkranz et al., 2006). In a recent study on the soil organic carbon of six Mediterranean forest sites in Italy, Chiti et al. (2010) reported that the pine forest of San Rossore had the lowest SOC accumulation within the top 20 cm of soil profile, and predicted that by the end of the second commitment period of the Kyoto protocol (2013–2017) would become a source of SOC.
soil profile
20–30 cm
cm
Mediterranean forest sites in Italy
six
soil profile
20 cm
cm