Abstract: Soil respiration is one of the most important and largest fluxes of carbon in terrestrial ecosystem. We performed 72 pots in a greenhouse experiment established with two soil textures (sandy loam and clay loam soil) and two fertilizers: mineral (N15P15K15) and organic (manure). The soil was inoculated with fauna (Lumbricus terrestris and Folsomia candida). On the soil surface, Zea may organic material was applied. The general objective was to assess soil respiration with a closed dynamic chamber in these pots for one week. The highest soil respiration value after maize addition was registered in the treatment with organic fertilizer-manure and soil fauna with a value of 0.58 g/m2/h in sandy loam soil. In clay loam soil, the highest value was 0.45 g/m2/h in the treatment M.F1 with chemical fertilizer N15P15K15 and soil fauna. L. terrestris and F. candida enhance soil respiration in all fertilized treatment in all the days during one week of measurements. Maize litter decomposition in more emphasized in the treatments with fertilization compared with those without inputs

Keywords: mineral fertilizer, organic fertilizer, Zea mays

Presentation: oral