Table 1

Season average values of soil surface CO2 efflux (SSCE), soil moisture, soil temperature and plant biomass (dry weight ± S.D.) under different irrigation regimes in a grassland ecosystem in northern Ontario.

Irrigation Regime+
SSCE μmol m-2 s-1
Plant Biomass g m-2
Soil Moisture % (0–10 cm)
Soil Temperature °C (at 10 cm)

6 L / 2 days*
5.26a ± (0.44)
243.4a ± (23.05)
25.59a ± (1.47)
23.51a ± (0.37)
12 L / 4 days
3.98ab ± (0.54)
236.3a ± (57.42)
22.27ab ± (1.05)
23.00a ± (0.27)
24 L / 8 days
4.46ab ± (0.36)
216.1a ± (86.68)
20.99bc ± (2.46)
23.09a ± (0.40)
42 L / 14 days
3.46bc ± (0.80)
200.0a ± (73.09)
19.33bc ± (2.63)
23.37a ± (0.28)
84 L / 28 days
2.92c ± (0.60)
167.9a ± (54.24)
18.07c ± (1.84)
23.31a ± (0.33)

Within columns, values followed by a different letter are significantly different at P < 0.005. * Control + Intensity / Frequency

Laporte et al. BMC Ecology 2002 2:10   doi:10.1186/1472-6785-2-10