Automated Monitoring of Nitrous Oxide and Carbon Dioxide Flux from Forest Soils

Gas flux determinations at the soil‐atmosphere interface are of value when modeling either soil or atmospheric chemistry. We describe a system for the automated analysis of N 2 O and CO 2 flux from the soil surface. Fluxes are measured by monitoring increases in N 2 O and CO 2 in double‐walled Plexiglas chambers at 30‐ and 60‐min intervals after the chamber lids are closed. Opening and closing of the chamber lids, gas sampling operations, and data collection and analyses are all controlled by a personal computer. In addition to gas fluxes, air and soil temperature as well as light intensity can be monitored. Using this system, up to 12 chambers can be continuously monitored within a 300‐m 2 area.