Precise estimations of soil respiration in forest nurseries are essential to better understanding the allocation and storage (i.e. productivity) of carbon within these systems.. It is well known that soil respiration has high spatial and temporal variability due to influences of soil temperature, soil moisture, and root activities. High seeding densities and intensive management of tree nurseries could yield high spatial variability in estimating soil respiration, however few studies have examined the appropriate number of sampling points to represent average soil respiration. We hypothesized that species differences in root activities will alter the minimum number of sampling points to estimate an average soil respiration and that an improved chamber design will reduce this variation and improve its quantification. To test these hypotheses, we established 40 sampling points using grid measurements in a treatment bed (1.5x3.6m) with three replicates for each of five tree species; northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.), sugar maple (Acer saccharum M.), white ash (Fraxinus Americana L.), red pine (Pinus resinosa A.), and white spruce (Picea glauca V.). We estimated soil respiration in each tree-species and tested for differences using: 1) coefficient of variation, 2) minimum required sampling points, and 3) selection of required sampling points (systematic, random, and stratification approach). We also compared estimated soil respiration using a modified chamber design. This poster presents the findings of our tests, as well as important considerations for using this modified soil chamber design.