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134 results for “root trait”
How is tree growth rate linked to root functional traits in phylogenetically related poplar hybrids?
<p>Fine roots play a crucial role in soil nutrient and water acquisition, significantly contributing to tree growth. Fine roots with a high specific root length (SRL) and small diameter are often considered to help trees grow fast. However, inconsistencies in the literature do not provide a clear basis on the effect of root functional traits, such as SRL or root mass density (RMD), on tree growth rate in phylogenetically related trees. Our aim was to examine relationships between tree growth rate and root functional traits, using clones displaying different growth rates in a hybrid poplar plantation located in New Liskeard, ON, Canada. Fine roots (diameter < 2 mm) samples were collected using soil cores at depths of 0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm, and analyzed for morphological, chemical and architectural traits. High SRL and thin fine roots were associated with the least productive clones, which is not consistent with the root economics spectrum (RES) theory. However, the most productive clone had larger fine root diameter and higher root lignin concentrations, probably reducing root construction and maintenance costs and C losses. Therefore, at the 0–20 and 20–40 cm depths, tree growth rates showed positive correlations with root diameter and root lignin concentrations, but negative correlations with SRL and root soluble compounds concentration. Increasing RMD at the 0–20 cm depth promoted tree growth rates, showing the importance of soil exploration in the topsoil for tree growth. We conclude that fine root variation does not always follow the RES hypothesis and argue that the rapid growth rate of trees may also be driven by fine root growth in diameter and mass in phylogenetically related trees.</p>
Reproducibility package for Using root economics traits to predict biotic plant soil-feedbacks
<p>Using root economics space to predict biotic plant soil-feedbacks presents a novel framework linking below ground ecological theory to plant soil feedback effects. We show how to calculate root functional distance and location of two plant species in root economics space and how these measures can help to predict the strength and direction of the plant soil feedback between them. </p> <p>Contains data and scripts to reproduce analysis and figures for the manuscript (https://github.com/ggpmrutten/linkingRES-PSF)</p>
Data_Schönauer et al. (2023)_Root and branch hydraulic functioning and trait coordination across organs in drought-deciduous and evergreen tree species of a subtropical highland forest
<p>Data used in</p> <p>Schönauer, M., Hietz, P., Schuldt, B., and Rewald, B. (2023). Root and branch hydraulic functioning and trait coordination across organs in drought-deciduous and evergreen tree species of a subtropical highland forest. Frontiers in plant science 14, 1127292. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1127292</p>
Data for Linkage mapping of root shape traits associated with market class in two biparental carrot populations
<p> </p> <p>This repository contains essential data to support the findings presented in the forthcoming publication titled "Linkage Mapping of Root Shape Traits Associated with Market Class in Two Biparental Carrot Populations." It includes VCF files for two distinct carrot biparental populations, as well as R code for filtering, constructing linkage maps, and conducting QTL analysis. Furthermore, the repository hosts phenotypic data gathered from these two biparental populations during the years 2020 and 2021.</p> <p>Two carrot genetic maps, one for each population, have been made available alongside their respective phenotypic data.</p> <p>The provided R code contains absolute working directory paths that may not function as intended on your system. The primary purpose of sharing this code is to offer readers insight into the techniques employed in this study. You may need to adapt the directory paths to suit your specific setup. </p> <p>To assist readers in understanding the logical sequence of steps involved in our linkage mapping project, the R code scripts have been sequentially numbered from 0 to 10.</p> <p>For more info contact: vegaalfaro@wisc.edu.</p>
Unraveling clonal trait space: Beyond aboveground and fine-root traits
<p>Plant trait variation is constrained by mechanical and energetic tradeoffs as attested by the global spectrum of plant form and function and the fine-root economics space for above- and belowground traits. However, traits that are key for fitness maintenance in some plant groups, such as clonal and bud bank traits, have not yet been integrated within the frameworks provided by the aboveground and the fine-root economics space.</p> <p>By using an extensive dataset encompassing aboveground, fine-root, clonal, and bud bank traits of 2000 species of Central European herbs, we asked whether clonal and bud bank traits correspond to the placement of species in the aboveground or fine-root trait spaces.</p> <p>Perennial clonal and non-clonal herbs show indistinct positioning within the aboveground and fine-root trait spaces. This extends and reinforces previous fragmentary evidence of weak correlations between clonal and bud bank traits and aboveground trait dimensions. Additionally, we identify for the first time a limited correlation between clonal and fine-root traits as well. This disconnection suggests that clonal traits operate independently from other trait spectra. For this reason, we introduce the concept of a "clonal trait space" for clonal herbs. The first dimension of this space is defined by bud bank size and the persistence of clonal connection, reflecting a gradient of species specialisation for on-spot persistence and tolerance to disturbance (persistence dimension). The second dimension, defined by multiplication rate and lateral spread, reflects a specialisation axis for clonal multiplication and horizontal size dimension (clonal multiplication dimension). Clonal trait dimensions add non-redundant information to the aboveground or fine-roots trait space.</p> <p><strong>Synthesis:</strong> We champion the integration of the persistence and clonal multiplication dimensions from the "clonal trait space" into the frameworks provided by the aboveground trait and the fine-root economics spaces, thereby enhancing our comprehension of the multifaceted trait strategies exhibited by plants.</p>
Data from: Measuring leaf and root functional traits uncovers multidimensionality of plant responses to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
<p>Premise of the study While many studies have measured the aboveground responses of plants to mycorrhizal fungi at a single time point, little is known about how plants respond belowground or across time to mycorrhizal symbiosis. By measuring belowground responses as well as growth over time in many plant species, we create a more complete picture of how mycorrhizal fungi benefit their hosts. Methods We grew 26 prairie plant species with and without mycorrhizal fungi and measured fourteen functional traits measuring above and belowground tissue quality and quantity responses and changes in resource allocation. We used function-value trait (FVT) modeling to characterize changes in species growth rate when colonized. Key results While aboveground biomass responses were positive, the response of traits belowground were much more variable. Changes in aboveground biomass accounted for 60.8% of the variation in mycorrhizal responses, supporting the use of aboveground biomass response as the primary response trait. Responses belowground were not associated with aboveground responses and accounted for 18.3% of the variation. Growth responses over time were highly variable across species. Interestingly, none of the measured responses were phylogenetically conserved. Conclusions Mycorrhizal fungi increase plant growth in most scenarios, but the effects of these fungi belowground and across time are more complicated. This study highlights how differences in plant allocation priorities might affect how they utilize the benefits from mycorrhizal fungi. Identifying and characterizing these differences is a key step to understanding the effects of mycorrhizal mutualisms on whole plant physiology. </p>
Acer and Quercus root traits plasticity
<p><u><span>Introduction</span></u><span>: Plant nutrient acquisition strategies range along a spectrum from autonomous foraging to investment in cooperative foraging through mycorrhizal associations. However, in temperate ecosystems, </span><span>many plant species encounter contrasted levels of symbiont availability in open fields versus closed forests<span>. Little is known about how fungal partner availability may be associated with intraspecific variation in other root foraging traits in natural settings.</span></span></p> <p><u><span>Methods</span></u><span>: Here, we addressed this issue by sampling saplings from two tree species: the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) <em>Acer rubrum</em> and the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) <em>Quercus rubra</em> from open fields (AM-dominated) and adjacent forest plots (ECM-dominated). For each species and environment, we measured morphological, architectural, and symbiotic root traits.</span></p> <p><u><span>Results</span></u><span>: For the open field, <em>Quercus</em> had greater specific root length (SRL) while <em>Acer</em> had higher AM colonization and root diameter. In the closed forest, the opposite pattern was observed, namely <em>Quercus</em> had higher ECM colonization and <em>Acer</em> greater SRL. </span></p> <p><u><span>Discussion</span></u><span>: Both species showed evidence of a shift toward autonomous root foraging in the habitat with low expected symbiont abundance (open field for <em>Quercus</em> and forest for <em>Acer</em>). </span><span>Although the confounding effects of site abiotic properties could not be strictly controlled in this study, these results suggest that plants might adjust root foraging traits according to local habitat conditions.</span></p> <p><u><span>Synthesis</span></u><span>: Our results shed new light on the intraspecific variation in plant position along the so-called "collaboration gradient", and suggest that mycorrhizal symbiont availability, along with other factors such as competition and site properties, may contribute to this variation.</span></p>
Data from: Measuring leaf and root functional traits uncovers multidimensionality of plant responses to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
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Microplastic additions modulate intraspecific variability in root traits and mycorrhizal responses across root-life history strategies
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Acer and Quercus root traits plasticity
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Unraveling the clonal trait space: Beyond aboveground and fine-root traits
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Data from: Plant diversity loss has limited effects on belowground biomass and traits but alters community short-term root production in a species-rich grassland
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Data from: The effect of root-associated microbes on plant growth and chemical defence traits across two contrasted elevations,
<p>1. Ecotypic differences in plant growth and anti-herbivore defence phenotypes are determined by the complex interactions between the abiotic and the biotic environment.</p> <p>2. Root-associated microbes (RAMs) are pervasive in nature, vary over climatic gradients, and have been shown to influence the expression of multiple plant functional traits related to biomass accumulation and biotic interactions. We addressed how variation in climatic conditions between lowland and sub-alpine habitats in the Alps and RAMs can independently or interactively affect plant growth and anti-herbivore defence trait expression.</p> <p>3. To address the contribution of climate and RAMs on growth and chemical defences of high- and low-elevation Plantago major ecotypes, we performed a full-factorial reciprocal transplant field experiment at two elevations. We coupled it with plant functional trait measurements and metabolomics analyses.</p> <p>4. We found that local growing climatic conditions mostly influenced how the ecotypes grew, but we also found that the high- and low-elevation ecotypes improved biomass accumulation if in the presence of their own-elevation RAMs. Second, we found that while chemical defence expression was affected by climate, they were also more highly expressed when plants were inoculated with low elevation RAMs.</p> <p>5. Synthesis – Our research demonstrated that RAMs from contrasted elevations impact how plants grow or synthesize toxic secondary metabolites. At low elevation, where biotic interactions are stronger, RAMs enhance plant biomass accumulation and the production of toxic secondary metabolites.</p>
Independent evolutionary changes in fine-root traits among main clades during the diversification of seed plants
<p><b>Rationale</b>: Changes in fine-root morphology are typically associated with transitions from the ancestral arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) to the alternative ectomycorrhizal (ECM) or non-mycorrhizal (NM) associations. However, the modifications in root morphology may also coincide with new modifications in leaf hydraulics and growth habit during angiosperm diversification. These hypotheses have not been evaluated concurrently, which limits our understanding of the causes of fine-root evolution.</p> <p><b>Methods</b>: To explore the evolution of fine-root systems, we assembled a 600+ species database to reconstruct historical changes in seed plants over time. We utilize ancestral reconstruction approaches together with phylogenetically informed comparative analyses to test whether changes in fine-root traits were most strongly associated with mycorrhizal affiliation, leaf hydraulics or growth form.</p> <p><b>Key Results</b>: Our findings show significant shifts in root diameter, specific root length and root tissue density as angiosperms diversified, largely independent from leaf changes or mycorrhizal affiliation. Growth form was the only factor associated with fine-root traits in statistical models including mycorrhizal association and leaf venation, suggesting substantial modifications in fine-root morphology during transitions from woody to non-woody habits.</p> <p><b>Conclusion</b>: Divergences in fine-root systems were crucial in the evolution of seed plant lineages, with important implications for ecological processes in terrestrial ecosystems.</p>
Root trait responses to drought are more heterogeneous than leaf trait responses
<p>Drought can strongly modify plant diversity and ecosystem processes. As droughts are expected to intensify in the future, it is important to better understand plant responses to this global driver. Root traits are an overlooked but powerful predictor of plant responses to drought because they are in direct contact with the soil environment and are responsible for taking up nutrients and water.</p> <p>Here, we determine which root traits are sensitive to drought and the magnitude of that response. We also tested whether root trait relationships with shoot biomass are affected by drought and to what extent all these responses depend on plant species identity. To do so, we conducted a glasshouse experiment with 24 plant species grown in pots (10 replicates per species), which included grasses, forbs and legumes. All replicates were well watered during the first month and then half of them were kept under drought (30 % water holding capacity (WHC)), with the other half serving as control (70 % WHC). After two months of treatment, leaf and root traits were measured.</p> <p>Leaf traits had a strong and more uniform response to drought compared to root traits. Root trait responses were variable and differed among plant species. Overall, grasses and several forbs had increased root diameter with drought while forbs had decreased specific root surface area (SRSA) and specific root length (SRL). Increase of root diameter and reduction of root elongation or sacrificing fine roots are different strategies that may promote nutrient and water acquisition, depending on plant species identity.</p> <p>Our results identify changes in root morphological traits as mechanisms to likely tolerate drought and highlight that, although such drought responses are species-specific, they are phylogenetically clustered.</p>
C4 photosynthesis and the economic spectra of leaf and root traits independently influence growth rates in grasses
<p>Photosynthetic pathway is an important cause of growth rate variation between species, such that the enhanced carbon uptake of C<sub>4</sub> species leads to faster growth than their C<sub>3</sub> counterparts. Leaf traits that promote rapid resource acquisition may further enhance the growth capacity of C<sub>4</sub> species. However, how root economic traits interact with leaf traits, and the different growth strategies adopted by plants with C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> photosynthetic pathways is unclear. Plant economic traits could interact with, or act independently of, photosynthetic pathway in influencing growth rate, or C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> species could segregate out along a common growth rate-trait relationship.</p> <p>We measured leaf and root traits on 100+ grass species grown from seeds in a controlled, common environment to compare with relative growth rates (RGR) during the initial phase of rapid growth, controlling for phylogeny and allometric effects.</p> <p>Photosynthetic pathway acts independently to leaf and root functional traits in causing fast growth. Using C<sub>4</sub> photosynthesis, plants can achieve faster growth than their C<sub>3</sub> counterparts (by an average 0.04 g g<sup>-1</sup> day<sup>-1</sup>) for a given suite of functional trait values, with lower investments of leaf and root nitrogen. Leaf and root traits had an additive effect on RGR, with plants achieving fast growth by possessing resource-acquisitive leaf traits (high specific leaf area and low leaf dry matter content) or root traits (high specific root length and area, and low root diameter), but having both leads to an even faster growth rate (by up to 0.06 g g-1 day-1). C<sub>4</sub> photosynthesis can provide a greater relative increase in RGR for plants with a 'slow' ecological strategy than in those with fast growth. However, aboveground and belowground strategies are not coordinated, so that species can have any combination of 'slow' or 'fast' leaf and root traits.</p> <p>Synthesis: C<sub>4</sub> photosynthesis increases growth rate for a given combination of economic traits, and significantly alters plant nitrogen economy in the leaves and roots. However, leaf and root economic traits act independently to further enhance growth. The fast growth of C<sub>4</sub> grasses promotes a competitive advantage under hot, sunny conditions.</p>
Contrasting responses of fine root biomass and traits to large-scale nitrogen and phosphorus addition in tropical forests in the Guiana shield
<p>Fine roots mediate plant nutrient acquisition and growth. Depending on soil nutrient availability, plants can regulate fine root biomass and morphological traits to optimise nutrient acquisition. Little is known, however, about the importance of these parameters influencing forest functioning. In this study, we measured root responses to nutrient additions to gain a mechanistic understanding of plant adaptations to nutrient limitation in two tropical forests in French Guiana, differing two-fold in their soil nutrient statuses. We analysed the responses of root biomass, mean root diameter (RD), specific root length (SRL), specific root area (SRA), root tissue density (RTD) and carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in roots down to 15 cm soil depth after three years of N and P additions. At the lower-fertility site Paracou, no changes in root biomass or morphological traits were detected with either N or P addition, although P concentrations in roots increased with P addition. In the higher fertility site, Nouragues, root biomass and P concentrations in roots increased with P addition, with no changes in morphological traits. In contrast, N addition shifted root traits from acquisitive to more conservative by increasing RTD. A significant interaction between N and P in Nouragues pointed to stronger responses to P addition in the absence of N. Our results suggest that the magnitude and direction of root biomass and trait expression were regulated by soil fertility, corroborated by the response to N or P additions. At low fertility sites, we found lower plasticity in root trait expression compared to more fertile conditions, where N and P additions caused stronger and antagonistic responses. Identifying the exact role of mechanisms affecting root nutrient uptake in Amazon forests growing in different soils will be crucial to foresee if and how rapid global changes can affect their carbon allocation.</p>
Decoupling of uptake and transport-related traits in absorptive roots across coexisting herbaceous species in alpine meadows
<div>The anatomical structure of roots determines their function. Coexisting species complementarily forage nutrients by roots themselves (e.g., root strategy) and their fungal partners (e.g., mycorrhizal strategy), leading to a tradeoff between root strategy and mycorrhizal strategy. However, few studies have specifically evaluated whether and how the root anatomical structures are involved in this tradeoff, especially for species in alpine ecosystems limited by extreme climate.Here, absorptive root anatomical and chemical traits and three key root traits commonly associated with nutrient foraging strategies, i.e., root strategy indicated by first-order root length and root branching intensity and mycorrhizal strategy indicated by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization, were examined across 68 herbaceous species in alpine meadows of the Tibetan Plateau.We observed that absorptive roots with higher branching intensity had more protoxylem poles, thinner cortices and smaller cortical cells, whereas absorptive roots with higher mycorrhizal colonization and longer first-order roots consistently had thicker cortices and larger cortical cells. Unexpectedly, root cortical traits responsible for nutrient uptake were decoupled from stelar traits specialized in water and nutrient transportation. The decoupling may be related to the non-coordinated changes in soil water and nutrient availability in the meadows of the Tibetan Plateau. In addition, we found that root cortical thickness and stelar radius increased at a similar rate rather than well-reported different rates with increasing root diameter. Our results demonstrate that root internal makeup plays an integral role in forming the diverse nutrient foraging strategies in belowground. These findings provide new insights into our understanding of plant coexistence and responses of alpine meadows to climate change on the Tibetan Plateau.</div>
Data from: Relationships between rhizosphere microbial communities, soil abiotic properties and root trait variation within a pine species
<p>Rhizosphere microbes play important roles in plant performance and ecosystem functioning. It is becoming increasingly clear that rhizosphere communities vary with soil properties and variation in root traits among plant species. However, less is known about whether and how variation in root traits within plant species influences the rhizosphere microbial communities.</p> <p>We evaluated the intraspecific root traits variation and explored their associations with bacterial and fungal communities in rhizosphere by focusing on an ectomycorrhizal tree<em> </em>species, i.e., <em>Pinus massoniana</em>, in 22 sites in subtropical China.</p> <p>The first dimension of the principal component analysis on root traits revealed evidence for the 'conservation' gradient of the root economics space. Overall, root traits explained more variation in fungal communities than in bacterial communities in the rhizosphere. Functional composition of rhizosphere microbial communities changed significantly along the 'conservation' gradient, with fast-growing copiotrophic bacteria and symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungi were significantly enriched on the 'acquisition' side, while slow-growing oligotrophic bacteria were significantly enriched on the 'conservation' side of the gradient.</p> <p><strong><em>Synthesis</em></strong>: Our study demonstrates that intraspecific variation in plant roots significantly influence rhizosphere microbial communities, which in turn can influence plant nutrition and therefore plant performance within the community.</p>
Below-ground root nutrient-acquisition strategies are more sensitive to long-term grazing than above-ground leaf traits across a soil nutrient gradient
<p>Understanding how plant nutrient acquisition strategies respond to grazing at the community level is critical to understanding ecosystem structure and functioning in grasslands. However, few studies have simultaneously compared the difference in aboveground (leaf) and belowground (root) nutrient-acquisition strategies in response to long-term grazing, especially at the regional scale. Here, we measured a set of leaf and fine-root traits that correspond to the fast-slow economic spectrum at the community level in 10 experimental sites from paired grazed and ungrazed grasslands across a soil nutrient gradient covering three major types of grasslands in northern China. We found that patterns of variations of leaf and fine-root traits were consistent with both a leaf and root economic spectrum at the community level for both grazed and non-grazed plots. Grazing had a minor effect on community-level leaf nutrient-acquisition strategies but strongly influenced community-level root nutrient-acquisition strategies. Specifically, root nutrient-acquisition strategies were shifted to more exploitative resource use in grazed communities. Moreover, soil nutrients contributed to the changes in both leaf and root nutrient-acquisition strategies, which tended towards a more resource-acquisition strategy with increasing soil nutrient levels. Grazing significantly interacted with soil nutrients to affect root nutrient-acquisition strategies, and grazing contributed more to root nutrient-acquisition strategies than soil nutrients. Our results demonstrated completely inconsistent responses of community-level above- and below-ground resource acquisition strategies to long-term grazing, and below-ground acquisition strategies were more sensitive to long-term grazing. Our findings also suggest that high-intensity anthropogenic activities such as grazing may strongly modify below-ground resource acquisition strategies.</p>
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