Influence of Land Use and Slope Orientation on Soil Respiration Variations in Relation to Climate Factors in Temperate Zone of Nepal

A comprehensive understanding of soil carbon emissions across different land‐use types, topographies, and slope aspects is still lacking. There is a need to better understand how these emissions via soil respiration (Rs) vary with influencing factors. This is vital for precise carbon estimation and management and plays a crucial role in carbon cycling. Thus, we examined how land‐use types and slope aspects affect soil respiration (Rs) and its response on multiple influencing factors. A closed chamber method with an infrared gas analyzer was employed in this study to measure Rs, recorded soil temperature (Ts), air temperature (Ta), soil water content (Swc), electrical conductivity (Ec), and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) in a grassland (GL), forest on the north‐facing slope (FNF), and forest on the south‐facing slope (FSF) in the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) of the temperate zone in Nepal. The results of this study showed that grassland possessed higher Rs at 276.89 mg CO 2 m −2 ·h −1 with Ts and Ta than the FNF at 167.62 mg CO 2 m −2 ·h −1 and FSF at 113.96 mg CO 2 m −2 ·h −1 . Lower Ts and Ta in FNF were recorded compared to FSF. The Swc, Ec, and PPFD were aligned with the variations in Rs in all land‐use types and forests except the temperature and PPFD in the forests of different aspects. Significant statistical variations ( p < 0.05) among land‐use types and slopes were exhibited by Rs, Ts, Ta, Swc, Ec, and PPFD. The results suggested variations in Rs and its influencing factors are impacted by both land‐use types and slope aspects. Accurately estimating carbon budget requires accounting for Swc, Ec, and PPFD, and land‐use types and aspects along with the temperature effect on Rs in high temperate zones.