Measurement of Greenhouse Gases : Air-Conditioned Perspex Chambers for the Measurement of Soil Respiration and Trace Gases in Undisturbed Plant Populations

Abstract

Various anthropogenic causes contribute to the increasing greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide from agricultural areas plays a significant role in this respect. Usually, chamber methods are used for the quantification of CO2 from the plant-soil system. This leads to problems caused by cham- ber effects which are primarily seen in a temperature increase and a re- duction in the amount of photosynthetically active light; therefore, a measuring system was developed during the present investigation which allows these effects to be minimized. These measurements are based on the closed measuring chamber developed in Hohenheim, which, during the present study, was extended to comprise Perspex covers and air con- ditioning.