Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Plant root response to heterogeneity of soil resources: Effects of nutrient patches, AM symbiosis, and species composition

  • Published:
Folia Geobotanica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Response of the underground parts of a whole grassland community to heterogeneity in soil resources was studied under field conditions. The increased availability of nutrients (N, P) in patches was combined with suppression of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis (by fungicide benomyl) and with modification of substrate structure (sieved soil, sieved soil mixed with coarse or fine sand). Three experimental runs were established in 1999, each with seven replicate blocks. Root and rhizome biomass was determined before the experimental treatment and after 53 days of the experiment. Plant community composition in neighbourhood of patches was recorded. Nutrient application had the most pronounced effect on the root biomass grown into the patches (the root biomass increased 1.64 times). The root biomass in patches with fungicide application was 1.17 times higher than in the untreated patches. The modification of substrate structure had no effect on the root biomass in patches but it did modify the effect of benomyl. The amount of root biomass proliferating into the patches was not related to species composition of vegetation near the patches. However, higher frequency of grass tillers in the patch neighbourhood and the mycorrhizal status of neighbouring species correlated significantly with the amount of root biomass in the experimental patches. In the pre-treatment community, amount of root biomass was significantly related to the abundance of grasses and mycorrhizal forbs surrounding the sampling points.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anonymous (1999):S-PLUS 2000 Guide to statistics 1 & 2. Data Analysis Products Division, MathSoft, Seattle.

  • Arredondo J.T. &Johnson D.A. (1999): Root architecture and biomass allocation of three range grasses in response to nonuniform supply of nutrients and shoot defoliation.New Phytol. 143: 373–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cahill J.F. &Casper B.B. (1999): Growth consequences of soil nutrient heterogeneity for two old-field herbs,Ambrosia artemisiifolia andPhytolacca americana, grown individually and in combination.Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 83: 471–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cahill J.F. &Casper B.B. (2000): Investigating the relationship between neighbor root biomass and belowground competition: field evidence for symmetric competition belowground.Oikos 90: 311–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell M.M. (1994): Exploiting nutrients in fertile soil microsites. In:Caldwell M.M. &Pearcy R.W. (eds.),Exploatation of environmental heterogeneity by plants: ecophysiological processes above- and below-ground, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, pp. 325–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell M.M., Dudley L.M. &Lilieholm B. (1992): Soil solution phosphate, root uptake kinetics and nutrient acquisition: implications for a patchy soil environment.Oecologia 89: 305–309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell M.M., Manwaring J.H. &Durham S.L. (1991a): The microscale distribution of neighbouring plant roots in fertile soil microsites.Funct. Ecol. 5: 765–772.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell M.M., Manwaring J.H. &Durham S.L. (1996): Species interaction at the level of fine roots in the field: Influence of soil nutrient heterogeneity and plant size.Oecologia 106: 440–447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell M.M., Manwaring J.H. &Jackson R.B. (1991b): Exploitation of phosphate from fertile soil microsites by three Great Basin perennials when in competition.Funct. Ecol. 5: 757–764.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell M.M. &Pearcy R.W. (eds.) (1994):Exploitation of environmental heterogeneity by plants: ecophysiological processes above- and below-ground. Academic Press, Inc., San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell B.D., Grime J.P. &Mackey J.M.L. (1991): A trade-off between scale and precision in resource foraging.Oecologia 87: 532–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carey P.D., Fitter A.H. &Watkinson A.R. (1992): A field study using the fungicide benomyl to investigate the effect of mycorrhizal fungi on plant fitness.Oecologia 90: 550–555.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cleveland W. (1993):Visualizing data. Hobart Press, Summit.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cui M. &Caldwell M.M. (1995): VA mycorrhizae and plant acquisition of nitrate and phosphorus when in uniform and patchy distributions. In: 80th annual ESA meeting, Program and abstracts, Part 2: Abstracts,Bull. Ecol. Soc. Amer. 76 (Suppl.): 57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cui M. &Caldwell M. M. (1996): Facilitation of plant arbuscular mycorrhizas from enriched soil patches I. Roots and hyphae exploiting the same soil volume.New Phytol. 133: 453–460.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drew M.C. (1975): Compensation of the effects of a localized supply of phosphate, nitrate, ammonium and potassium on the growth of the seminal root system, and the shoot, in barley.New Phytol. 75: 479–490.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drew M.C. &Saker L.R. (1975): Nutrient supply and the growth of the seminal root system in barley II. Localized, compensatory increases in lateral root growth and rates of nitrate uptake when nitrate supply is restricted to only part of the root system.J. Exp. Bot. 26: 79–90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drew M.C., Saker L.R. &Ashley T.W. (1973): Nutrient supply and the growth of the seminal root system in barley I. The effect of nitrate concentration on the growth of axes and laterals.J. Exp. Bot. 24: 1189–1202.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duke S.E. &Caldwell M.M. (2000): Phosphate uptake kinetics ofArtemisia tridentata roots exposed to multiple soil enriched-nutrient patches.Flora 195: 154–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Einsmann J.C., Jones R.H., Pu M. &Mitchell R.J. (1999): Nutrient foraging traits in 10 co-occurring plant species of contrasting life forms.J. Ecol. 87: 609–619.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farley R.A. &Fitter A.H. (1999): The responses of 7 co-occurring herbaceous perennials to localized nutrient-rich patches.J. Ecol. 87: 849–859.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitter A.H. (1982): Influence of soil heterogeneity on the coexistence of grassland species.J. Ecol. 70: 139–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitter A.H. (1994): Architecture and biomass allocation as components of the plastic response of root system to soil heterogeneity. In:Caldwell M.M. &Pearcy R.W. (eds.),Exploitation of environmental heterogeneity by plants, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, pp. 305–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fransen B., Blijjenberg B. &de Kroon H. (1999a): Root morphological and physiological plasticity of perennial grass species and the exploatation of spatial and temporal heterogeneous patches.Pl. & Soil 211: 179–189.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fransen B. &de Kroon H. (1999): Root proliferation, root turnover rates and biomass production of two perennial grass species from habitats of contrasting nutrient availability: the long-term disadvantages of selective root placement. In:Fransen B.,Root foraging, The consequences for nutrient acquisition and competition in heterogeneous environments, PhD thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fransen B., de Kroon H. &Berendse F. (1998): Root morphological plasticity and nutrient acquisition of perennial grass species from habitats of different nutrient availability.Oecologia 115: 351–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fransen B., de Kroon H. &Berendse F. (1999b): Nutrient heterogeneity changes competition between populations ofFestuca rubra L. andAnthoxanthum odoratum L. In:Fransen B.,Root foraging, The consequences for nutrient acquisition and competition in heterogeneous environments, PhD thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fusconi A. et al. (2000): Root apical meristems ofAllium porrum L. as affected by arbuscular mycorrhizae and phosphorus.Protoplasma 214: 219–226.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grime J.P. (1994): The role of plasticity in exploiting environmental heterogeneity. In:Caldwell M.M. &Pearcy R.W. (eds.),Exploitation of environmental heterogeneity by plants: ecophysiological processes above- and below-ground, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, pp. 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross K.L., Maruca D. &Pregitzer K.S. (1992): Seedling growth and root morphology of plants with different life-histories.New Phytol. 120: 535–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harley J.L. &Harley E.L. (1987): A check-list of mycorrhiza in the British flora.New Phytol. 105: 1–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hetrick B.A.D. (1991): Mycorrhizas and root architecture.Experientia 47: 355–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hetrick B.A.D., Leslie J.F., Wilson G.T. &Kitt D.G. (1988): Physical and topological assessment of effects of a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on root architecture of big bluestem.New Phytol. 110: 85–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodge A., Robinson D., Griffiths B.S. &Fitter A.H. (1999a): Nitrogen capture by plants grown in N-rich organic patches of contrasting size and strength.J. Exp. Bot. 50: 1243–1252.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hodge A., Robinson D., Griffiths B.S. &Fitter A.H. (1999b): Why plants bother: Root proliferation results in increased nitrogen capture from an organic patch when two grasses compete.Pl. Cell Environm. 22: 811–820.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodge A., Stewart J., Robinson D., Griffiths B.S. &Fitter A.H. (1998): Root proliferation, soil fauna and plant nitrogen capture from nutrient-rich patches in soil.New Phytol. 139: 479–494.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodge A., Stewart J., Robinson D., Griffiths B.S. &Fitter A.H. (1999c): Plant, soil fauna and microbial responses to N-rich organic patches of contrasting temporal availability.Soil Biol. Biochem. 31: 1517–1530.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hodge A., Stewart J., Robinson D., Griffiths B.S. &Fitter A.H. (2000): Competition between roots and soil microorganisms for nutrients from nitrogen-rich patches of varying complexity.J. Ecol. 88: 150–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huber-Sannwald E., Pyke D.A., Caldwell M.M. &Durham S. (1998): Effects of nutrient patches and root systems on the clonal plasticity of a rhizomatous grass.Ecology 79: 2267–2280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson R.B. &Caldwell M.M. (1993): Geostatistical patterns of soil heterogeneity around individual perennial plants.J. Ecol. 81: 683–692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson R.B. &Caldwell M.M. (1996): Integrating resource heterogeneity and plant plasticity — modelling nitrate and phosphate uptake in a patchy soil environment.J. Ecol. 84: 819–903.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsen I. &Rosendahl L. (1990): Carbon flow into soil and external hyphae from roots of mycorrhizal cucumber plants.New Phytol. 115: 77–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson N.C., Graham J.H. &Smith F.A. (1997): Functioning of mycorrhizal associations along the mutualism-parasitism continuum.New Phytol. 135: 575–585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu L.X. &Hsiang T. (1994): Bioassays for benomyl adsorption and persistence in soil.Soil Biol. Biochem. 26: 317–324.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McConnaughay K.D.M. &Bazzaz F.A. (1992): The occupation and fragmentation of space: consequences of neighbouring roots.Funct. Ecol. 6: 704–710.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merryweather J. &Fitter A. H. (1996): Phosphorus nutrition of an obligately mycorrhizal plant treated with the fungicide benomyl in the field.New Phytol. 132: 307–311.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Newsham K. K., Fitter A. H. &Watkinson A. R. (1994): Root pathogenic and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi determine fecundity of asymptomatic plants in the field.J. Ecol. 82: 805–814.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pecháčková S., During H.J., Rydlová V. &Herben T. (1999): Species-specific spatial pattern of belowground plant parts in a montane grassland community.J. Ecol. 87: 569–582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Read D.J., Koucheki H.K. &Hodgson J. (1976): Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza in natural vegetation systems. I. The occurrence of infection.New Phytol. 77: 641–653.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson D., Hodge A., Griffiths B.S. &Fitter A.H. (1999): Plant root proliferation in nitrogen-rich patches confers competitive advantage.Proc. Roy. Soc. London, Ser. B, Biol. Sci. 266: 431–435.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson D. &Van Vuuren M.M.I. (1998): Responses of wild plants to nutrient patches in relation to growth rate and life-form. In:Lambers H., Poorter H. &Van Vuuren M.M.I. (eds.),Inherent variation in plant growth, Physiological mechanisms and ecological consequences, Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, pp. 237–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothmaler W. (1976):Exkursionsflora für die Gebiete der DDR und der BRD. Kritischer Band. Volk und Wissen Volkseigener Verlag, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryel R.J., Caldwell M.M. &Manwaring J.H. (1996): Temporal dynamics of soil spatial heterogeneity in sagebrush-wheatgrass steppe during a growing season.Pl. & Soil 184: 299–309.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stanton N.L. (1988): The underground in grasslands.Annual Rev. Ecol. Syst. 19: 573–589.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • St. John T.V., Coleman D.C. &Reid C.P.P. (1983): Growth and spatial distribution of nutrient-absorbing organs: Selective exploatation of soil heterogeneity.Pl. & Soil 71: 487–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Šmilauer P. (1996):Modern approaches to analysis of ecological data. PhD thesis, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Šmilauer P. &Šmilauerová M. (2000): Effects of AM symbiosis exclusion on grassland community composition.Folia Geobot. 35: 13–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ter Braak C.J. F. &Šmilauer P. (1998):CANOCO reference manual and user’s guide to Canoco for Windows: software for canonical community ordination (version 4). Microcomputer Power, Ithaca.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van FaassenH.G. (1974): Effect of the fungicide benomyl on some metabolic processes, and on numbers of bacteria and actinomycetes in the soil.Soil Biol. Biochem. 6: 131–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vogt K.A., Vogt D.J., Asbjornsen H. &Dahlgren R.A. (1995): Roots, nutrients and their relationship to spatial patterns.Pl. & Soil 168–169: 113–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • West H. M., Fitter A. H. &Watkinson A. R. (1993): Response ofVulpia ciliata ssp.ambigua to removal of mycorrhizal infection and to phosphate application under natural conditions.J. Ecol. 81: 351–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wijesinghe D.K. &Hutchings M.J. (1999): The effects of environmental heterogeneity on the performance ofGlechoma hederacea: the interactions between patch contrast and patch scale.J. Ecol. 87: 860–872.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, CZ-370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Marie Šmilauerová

Authors
  1. Marie Šmilauerová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marie Šmilauerová.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Šmilauerová, M. Plant root response to heterogeneity of soil resources: Effects of nutrient patches, AM symbiosis, and species composition. Folia Geobot 36, 337–351 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02899985

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02899985

Keywords

Search

Navigation