Abstract: Soil respiration is a key process in forest biogeochemical cycling. Exploring the relationship between plant functional traits and soil respiration can help understand the effects of tree species conversion on soil carbon cycling. In this study, we selected 15 common subtropical tree species planted in the logging site of second-generation Chinese fir forest to measure soil CO₂ emission fluxes, soil physicochemical properties, leaf and root functional traits of each species, and explored the effects of plant functional traits on soil respiration. The results showed that the annual flux of soil CO₂ emissions varied from 7.93 to 22.52 Mg CO₂·hm^-2, with the highest value under Castanopsis carlesii (22.52 Mg CO₂·hm^-2) and the lowest value under Taxus wallichiana (7.93 Mg CO₂·hm^-2). Results of stepwise regression analysis showed that the annual flux of soil CO₂ emission decreased with the increases of leaf nitrogen content and fine root diameter, and increased with increasing leaf non-structural carbohydrate. In the structural equation model, leaf non-structural carbohydrate had a direct and significant positive effect on soil CO₂ emission fluxes, while leaf nitrogen content and fine root diameter had a direct negative effect by decreasing soil pH and soluble organic nitrogen content. Plantations of different tree species would affect soil CO₂ emission directly by changing functional traits related to water and nutrient acquisition or indirectly through soil properties. When creating plantations, we should select tree species based on the relationship between plant functional traits and ecosystem functions, with a view to improving forest productivity and soil carbon sequestration potential.

Key words: plant functional trait, soil respiration, leaf N content, non-structural carbohydrate, fine root diameter