Rhizospheric and heterotrophic respiration of a warm-temperate oak chronosequence in China

► We studied heterotrophic and rhizospheric respiration in an oak chronosequence. ► Young forest rhizospheric respiration lagged behind soil temperature. ► Heterotrophic respiration increased with stand age linearly. ► Rhizospheric respiration changed with stand age nonlinearly. ► Q10 of heterotrophic respiration was higher than that of rhizospheric respiration.