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Stand development modifies effects of soil water availability on poplar fine-root traits: evidence from a six-year experiment

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Abstract

Purpose

Roots are the mean absorbing organ of plants and an important part of material circulation in ecosystems. Understanding long-term root system development and its response to soil water availability can help to elucidate carbon cycling and plant resource uptake strategies in forest plantations under climate change.

Methods

We created a soil water content (SWC) gradient in a poplar forest using irrigation. During the six-year rotation, we determined biomass allocation by dissecting 45 sample trees, and measured spatial–temporal distribution and morphology of fine roots through analysis of 3984 root samples. Observations occurred as stands developed through canopy closure and experienced increasing inter-tree competition.

Results

Biomass allocation initially responded positively to low SWC while rooting depth was unaffected. As stands developed, biomass allocation differences gradually disappeared, and low SWC caused deeper root distribution. Morphological responses to depth emerged after the first year. In shallow soil, specific root length and fine-root diameter were lower while root tissue density was greater than those below 50 cm depth.

Conclusion

Soil water availability can affect biomass allocation and determine the soil layer with high exploration intensity, but both of these effects depend on stand development. During development, horizontal root system expansion takes precedence over vertical expansion. Besides, our finding implies that functional divergence of fine roots may occur gradually with stand development, with finer diameter roots in shallow soil perhaps functioning mainly for absorbing soil resources while low-density, high-diameter roots in deep soil functioning primarily for expanding the root system and exploring for limiting soil moisture resource.

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Abbreviations

AGB:

Aboveground biomass

BGB:

Belowground biomass

CI:

Control irrigation

DBH:

Diameter at breast height

D 50 :

The depth above which 50% of fine roots were located

D 95 :

The depth above which 95% of fine roots were located

D max :

The maximum rooting depth

FI:

Full irrigation

FRBD:

Fine-root biomass density

FRMF:

Fine-root mass fraction

MRD:

Mean root diameter

NI:

Non-irrigation

PARL:

Percentage of absorbing fine-root length

PFR:

Proportion of fine-root biomass within the root system

RMF:

Root mass fraction

RTD:

Root tissue density

SCMF:

Stump and coarse-root mass fraction

SMF:

Shoot mass fraction

SRL:

Specific root length

SWC:

Soil water content

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Funding

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32171763, 31872702) and the US National Science Foundation Award (1916699).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Silviculture and Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 35 East Qinghua Road, Beijing, 100083, China

    Songyan Zou, Jinqiang Liu, Lingya Li, Yang Liu & Benye Xi

  2. Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Doudou Li

  3. School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China

    Nan Di

  4. Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences, 875 Perimeter Dr., MS 1133, University of Idaho, ID, 83844-1133, Moscow, USA

    Mark Coleman

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  1. Songyan Zou
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  2. Doudou Li
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  3. Nan Di
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  4. Jinqiang Liu
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  5. Lingya Li
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  6. Yang Liu
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Correspondence to Benye Xi or Mark Coleman.

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Zou, S., Li, D., Di, N. et al. Stand development modifies effects of soil water availability on poplar fine-root traits: evidence from a six-year experiment. Plant Soil 480, 165–184 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05568-1

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