In order to understand how nitrogen (N) fertilization affects soil respiration, a pot experiment with splitting-root compartment and by root-cutting was conducted in a greenhouse. The experiment had four treatments, i. e., unplanted and N-unfertilized (CKO), unplanted but fertilized with 150 mg N x kg(-1) CKN), planted maize (Zea mays L.) but N-unfertilized (MO), and planted maize and fertilized with 150 mg N x kg(-1) (MN). Soil respiration, soil basal respiration, root respiration, and rhizospheric microbial respiration were measured simultaneously. In unplanted soils (treatments CKO and CKN), soil respiration rate (soil basal respiration) ranged from 13.41 to 77.27 mg C x m(-2) x h(-1), and N fertilization had less effect; while in planted soils, the averaged soil respiration rate in treatment MN amounted to 138.54 mg C x m(-2) x h(-1), and was 17.7% higher (P < 0.05) than that in treatment MO. This increment mainly occurred at tasselling and flowering stages. During maize growth season, the contribution of soil basal respiration, root respiration, and rhizospheric microbial respiration to soil respiration in treatments MN and MO was 36.2%, 45.9%, and 17.9%, and 35.5%, 36.9%, and 37.6%, respectively.