This study investigated the seasonal variations and environmental factors influencing soil respiration in Quercus mongolica forests at three distinct sites in South Korea: Mt. Jeombongsan, Mt. Namsan, and Mt. Jirisan. Monthly soil respiration rates were measured from 2009 to 2010 using a closed chamber method, alongside assessments of soil temperature, moisture, and organic matter. Results revealed significant seasonal and spatial variability, with the highest respiration rates recorded during summer months. Soil temperature was identified as the primary driver of respiration, showing strong positive correlations across all sites (R2=0.64 - 0.88). The temperature sensitivity (Q10) values ranged from 2.7 at Mt. Namsan to 5.7 at Mt. Jeombongsan, underscoring the heightened vulnerability of cooler, high-altitude forests to warming. Soil moisture had a dual role, promoting respiration at moderate levels but inhibiting it under saturated conditions, particularly at Mt. Jirisan. Soil organic matter content exhibited an inverse relationship with respiration rates, indicating that substrate quality, rather than quantity, predominantly governs microbial activity. Plant-soil interactions, including root respiration and litterfall decomposition, further modulated respiration patterns, with site-specific differences reflecting variations in vegetation density and ecosystem structure. These findings highlight the complexity of soil carbon dynamics in temperate forests and the critical influence of environmental factors and plant-soil processes. The study provides essential insights for improving carbon cycling models and informs climate-resilient forest management strategies. Future research should prioritize long-term monitoring and experimental manipulations to better predict soil respiration under changing climatic conditions.

Abstract
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
    1. Research site
    2. Soil sample analysis methods
    3. Measurement of soil respiration andenvironmental factors
    4. Data analysis methods
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
    1. Soil properties
    2. Soil respiration
    3. Soil respiration and environmental factors
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES

• Jae-Ho Lee(Ecological Information Team, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon 33657, Republic of Korea)
• Young-Ju Yu(Climate Change Response Team, Korea Agriculture Technology Promotion Agency, Iksan 54667 Republic of Korea)
• Yongsu Kwon(Ecological Information Team, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon 33657, Republic of Korea)
• Jae-Seok Lee(Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029 Republic of Korea) Corresponding author