No abstract

In this study were compared heterotrophic respiratory potential (VDS/VMAX) expressing an increase in C mineralisation rate after drying and re-wetting the soil to 60% soil water content (v/w)(VDS) in relation to maximum respiration rate (VMAX) after glucose addition, and VMAX in organomineral soil (Ah horizon) of mod­erately mown and for 11 years abandoned mountain meadows in Moravian-Silesian Beskids Mts. VDS/VMAX and VMAX were assessed in soil samples taken in 30-day intervals throughout the period of May–September 2004. The results obtained showed higher VDS/VMAX on the abandoned meadow throughout the whole experiment except the last sampling occasion, and higher VMAX throughout the whole experiment. Significantly (P < 0.05) higher VDS/VMAX on the abandoned meadow was found in May and July, VMAX was significantly higher on the same meadow (P < 0.05) only in September. From the parameters studied, the time of sampling had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on VMAX when the data from the moderately mown meadow were evaluated. On the abandoned meadow, VMAX found was significantly (P < 0.05) different when the samples from May and September or July and September were compared. A significant (P < 0.05) effect of the sampling time on VDS/VMAX on the moderately mown meadow was presented by differences between May and other sampling times, on the abandoned meadow differences between September and other times of sampling except May were significant (P < 0.05).