Abstract
In this paper, root-shoot relationships of seedlings of Manchurican ash (Fraxinus mandchurica) in pots is studied in green house. The results show that roots and shoots have the co-ordination of growth and roots and shoots of ash have the same growth dynamics. There are very close relationships between total root mass and total shoot mass, between fine root mass and leaf mass in this experiments. At the end growing season, ash root-shoot mass ratio and fine root-leaf mass ratio are 1.85 and 2.01 respectively. These ratios are difference during growth season. There are larger roots than shoots on seedling stage. Low nitrogen and phosphorus produce higher root-shoot ratio, and high nutrient concentrations decrease the ratios.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atkinson, D. 1991. Plant root growth: an ecological perspective. British Ecological Society, Special Pub Number 10.
Caldwell, M.M. and Virginia, R.A. 1989. Root systems. In Pearcy R W et al, Plant physiological Ecology: field methods and instrumentation. New York: Chapman & Hall Ltd. 367–398.
Ericsson, T. 1995. Growth and shoot: root ratio of seedlings in relation to nutrient availability. Plant and Soil 168–169:205–214.
Fahey, T. J., Hughes, J. W., Pu, M., and Arthur, M.A. 1988. Root decomposition and nutrient flux following whole tree harvest of northern hardwood forest. Forest Science,34:744–768.
Fahey, T.J. and Hughes, J. W. 1994. Fine root dynamics in a northern hardwood forest ecosystem, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, NH. Journal of Ecology,82: 533–548.
Fogel, R. 1985. Roots as primary producer in below-ground ecosystems. In Fitter A H et al, Ecological interaction in soil. Nxford:Blackwell Scientific Pub. 23–36
Glinski, J., and J Lipec. 1990 Soil physical conditions and plant roots. Boca Raton: CRC Press, Inc, 53–55
Grime, J. P. 1994. The role of plasticity in exploitiong environmental heterogeneity. In Caldwellet al ed, Exploitation of environmental heterogeneity by plants: ecophysiological presses above- and belowground. Academic Press, 1–19.
Huston, M. A., and Smith, T. M. 1987. Plant Succession: Life history and competition. Am. Nat, 130:168–198.
Klepper, B. 1991. Root-shoot relationships In Dekker M, Plant Root: The Hidden Half. New York: Academic Press, 125–137.
Kuiper, I. G., and Coutts, M. P. 1992. Spatial disposition and extension of the structural root system of Douglas-fir. Forest Ecology and Management, 47:111–125.
Pritchett, W. L. 1979. Properties and management of forest soils. New York: John-Willey & Sons, 170–189.
Russell, R. S. 1979. Plant root systems: Their function and interaction with soil. England: McGraw-Hill Book Com Ltd, 9–27
Timan, D. 1988. Plant strategies and the structure and dynamics of plant communities. Princeton Univ. Press. Princeton
Vogt, K. A., Grier, C.C., and Vogt, D.J. 1986. Production, turnover and nutritional dynamics of above-and belowground detritus of world forests. Advances in Ecological Research,75:1009–1015
Wang, Z. 1999. Study on the root-root interactions betweenFraxinus mandchurica andLarix gmelini, Plant Ecology, in press
Wilson, J. B. 1988. Shoot competition and root competition. Journal of Applied Ecology,25:279–296
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This project is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of P. R. China (No.39570586)
(Responsible Editor: Chai Ruihai)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhengquan, W., Yujiang, Z. & Xiufeng, T. Root-shoot relationships ofFraxinus mandchurica . Journal of Forestry Research 10, 7–10 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02855470
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02855470