Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Plasticity of fine-root functional traits in the litter layer in response to nitrogen addition in a subtropical forest plantation

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and aims

Fine-root traits mediate the capacity of plants to acquire soil resources in different environments. This study aimed to examine the changes of fine-root traits when roots proliferate into the litter layer vs. mineral soils, and to determine fine-root trait plasticity of these roots in response to nitrogen (N) addition.

Methods

A one-year N addition experiment was conducted in a 22-year-old broadleaf Mytilaria laosensis (Hamamelidaceae) plantation in subtropical China. Newly produced fine roots were collected monthly from the litter layer and upper mineral soil (0–10 cm) layer to measure root morphological traits and nutrient concentrations. Fine-root production was determined using ingrowth mesh screens in the litter layer.

Results

Fine-root production in the litter layer in the Mytilaria laosensis plantation was 2.6 g m−2 yr.−1 but increased 3- to 5-fold with N addition. Significant differences in fine-root morphological traits and nutrient concentrations were found between the litter layer and 0–10 cm mineral soil layer. Fine roots in the litter layer were thinner, with higher specific root length (SRL), higher specific root area (SRA), a higher proportion of fine-root biomass in lower, more absorptive root orders, and lower root tissue density (RTD) than those in 0–10 cm mineral soil layer. Higher carbon (C), N, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) concentrations and lower C:N ratio (C/N) were also observed in fine roots in the litter layer, compared to the 0–10 cm mineral soil layer. Nitrogen addition significantly increased root P, K, and Ca concentrations, but had no effect on Mg concentration. Nitrogen addition did not affect most fine-root morphological traits but did result in decreased root diameter.

Conclusions

Compared with the mineral soil, roots produced in the litter layer generally reflected a more absorptive strategy with smaller root diameter and lower RTD and with higher SRL, SRA, and nutrient concentrations which together are generally associated with more metabolically active, but shorter lived roots. Strong responses of fine-root production and nutrient concentrations to N addition also suggest that N may be a driving factor for fine-root growth into the litter layer. Further studies are required to identify the effect of fine-root growth into the litter layer on microbial activity.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.

Reference

  • Adams TS, Mccormack ML, Eissenstat DM (2013) Foraging strategies in trees of different root morphology: the role of root lifespan. Tree Physiol 33(9):940–948

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burke MK, Raynal DJ (1994) Fine root growth phenology, production, and turnover in a northern hardwood forest ecosystem. Plant Soil 162(1):135–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen XY, Mulder J (2007) Indicators for nitrogen status and leaching in subtropical forest ecosystems, South China. Biogeochem 82(2):165–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen W, Koide RT, Adams TS, DeForest JL, Cheng L, Eissenstat DM (2016) Root morphology and mycorrhizal symbioses together shape nutrient foraging strategies of temperate trees. PNAS 113(31):8741–8746

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng L, Chen W, Adams TS, Wei X, Li L, McCormack ML, DeForest J, Koide R, Eissenstat DM (2016) Mycorrhizal fungi and roots are complementary in foraging within nutrient patches. Ecology. doi:10.1002/ecy.1514

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng W (2009) Rhizosphere priming effect: its functional relationships with microbial turnover, evapotranspiration, and C–N budgets. Soil Biol Biochem 41(9):1795–1801

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chuyong GB, Newbery DM, Songwe NC (2002) Litter breakdown and mineralization in a central African rain forest dominated by ectomycorrhizal trees. Biogeochem 61(1):73–94

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coomes DA, Grubb PJ (1996) Amazonian caatinga and related communities at La Esmeralda, Venezuela: forest structure, physiognomy and floristics, and control by soil factors. Plant Ecol 122(2):167–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cotrufo MF (2006) Quantity of standing litter: a driving factor of root dynamics. Plant Soil 281(1–2):1–3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cuevas E, Medina E (1988) Nutrient dynamics within Amazonian forests. II: fine root growth, nutrient availability and leaf litter decomposition. Oecologia 76(2):222–235

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eissenstat DM (1991) On the relationship between specific root length and the rate of root proliferation: a field study using citrus rootstocks. New Phytol 118(1):63–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eissenstat DM, Kucharski JM, Zadworny M, Adams TS, Koide RT (2015) Linking root traits to nutrient foraging in arbuscular mycorrhizal trees in a temperate forest. New Phytol 208(1):114–124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fujimaki R, McGonigle TP, Takeda H (2005) Soil micro-habitat effects on fine roots of Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.: a field experiment using root ingrowth cores. Plant Soil 266(1–2):325–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galloway JN, Townsend AR, Erisman JW, Bekunda M, Cai Z, Freney JR, Martinelli LA, Seitzinger SP, Sutton MA (2008) Transformation of the nitrogen cycle: recent trends, questions, and potential solutions. Science 320(5878):889–892

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hendricks JJ, Aber JD, Nadelhoffer KJ, Hallett RD (2000) Nitrogen controls on fine root substrate quality in temperate forest ecosystems. Ecosystems 3(1):57–69

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herrera R, Jordan CF, Klinge H, Medina E (1978) Amazon ecosystems: their structure and functioning with particular emphasis on nutrients. Interciencia 3(4):223–232

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang ZQ, Liu B, Davis MR, Sardans J, Peñuelas J, Billings S (2016) Long-term nitrogen deposition linked to reduced water use efficiency in forests with low phosphorus availability. New Phytol 210:431–442

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huang ZQ, Yu ZP, Wang MH (2014) Environmental controls and the influence of tree species on temporal variation in soil respiration in subtropical China. Plant Soil 382(1–2):75–87

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • John TVS (2011) Response of tree roots to decomposing organic matter in two lowland Amazonian rain forests. Can J For Res 13(2):346–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jordan CF, Escalante G (1980) Root productivity in an Amazonian rain forest. Ecology 61(1):14–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kou L, Guo D, Yang H, Gao W, Li S (2015) Growth, morphological traits and mycorrhizal colonization of fine roots respond differently to nitrogen addition in a slash pine plantation in subtropical China. Plant Soil 391(1–2):1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Lõhmus K, Truu M, Truu J, Ostonen I, Kaar E, Vares A, Uri V, Alama S, Kanal A (2006) Functional diversity of culturable bacterial communities in the rhizosphere in relation to fine-root and soil parameters in alder stands on forest, abandoned agricultural, and oil-shale mining areas. Plant Soil 283(1):1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laclau JP, Toutain F, M’Bou AT, Arnaud M, Joffre R, Ranger J (2004) The function of the superficial root mat in the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients in Congolese Eucalyptus plantations. Ann Bot 93(3):249–261

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lebauer DS, Treseder KK (2008) Nitrogen limitation of net primary productivity in terrestrial ecosystems is globally distributed. Ecology 89(2):371–379

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li W, Jin C, Guan D, Wang Q, Wang A, Yuan F, Wu J (2015) The effects of simulated nitrogen deposition on plant root traits: a meta-analysis. Soil Biol Biochem 82:112–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu B, Li H, Zhu B, Koide RT, Eissenstat DM, Guo D (2015a) Complementarity in nutrient foraging strategies of absorptive fine roots and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi across 14 coexisting subtropical tree species. New Phytol 208(1):125–136

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu RQ, Huang ZQ, He ZM, Wan XH, Yu ZP, Zheng LJ, Xiao HY (2015b) Effect of root removal on litter decomposition in plantations of Mytilaria laosensis and Cunninghamia lanceolata. Sci Silv Sin 51(9):1–8 In Chinese, Abstract in English

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma CE, Kong DL, Chen ZX (2012) Root growth into litter layer and its impact on litter decomposition: a review. Chin J Plant Ecol 36(11):1197–1204 In Chinese, Abstract in English

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Majdi H, Öhrvik J (2004) Interactive effects of soil warming and fertilization on root production, mortality, and longevity in a Norway spruce stand in northern Sweden. Glob Chang Biol 10(2):182–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matson P, Lohse KA, Hall SJ (2002) The globalization of nitrogen deposition: consequences for terrestrial ecosystems. Ambio 31(2):113–119

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCormack ML, Adams TS, Smithwick EAH, Eissenstat DM (2012) Predicting fine root lifespan from plant functional traits in temperate trees. New Phytol 195(4):823–831

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCormack ML, Guo D (2014) Impacts of environmental factors on fine root lifespan. Front in Plant Sci 5:205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMichael BL, Burke JJ (1998) Soil temperature and root growth. Hort Sci 33(6):947–951

    Google Scholar 

  • Mei L, Gu JC, Zhang ZW, Wang ZQ (2010) Responses of fine root mass, length, production and turnover to soil nitrogen fertilization in Larix gmelinii and Fraxinus mandshurica forests in northeastern China. J For Res 15(3):194–201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nadelhoffer KJ (2000) The potential effects of nitrogen deposition on fine-root production in forest ecosystems. New Phytol 147(1):131–139

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noguchi K, Nagakura J, Kaneko S (2013) Biomass and morphology of fine roots of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) after 3 years of nitrogen fertilization. Front in Plant Sci 4(1):347

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostonen I, Püttsepp Ü, Biel C, Alberton O, Bakker MR, Lõhmus K, Majdi H, Metcalfe D, Olsthoorn AFM (2007) Pronk a (2007) specific root length as an indicator of environmental change. Plant Biosyst 141:426–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Persson H, Ahlström K, Clemensson-Lindell A (1998) Nitrogen addition and removal at Gårdsjön — effects on fine-root growth and fine-root chemistry. For Ecol Manag 101(1):199–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pregitzer KS, DeForest JL, Burton AJ, Allen MF, Ruess RW, Hendrick RL (2002) Fine root architecture of nine north American trees. Ecol Monogr 72(2):293–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pregitzer KS, King JS, Burton AJ, Brown SE (2000) Responses of tree fine roots to temperature. New Phytol 147(1):105–115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayer EJ, Tanner EVJ, Cheesman AW (2006) Increased litterfall changes fine root distribution in a moist tropical forest. Plant Soil 281(1–2):5–13

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silver WL, Miya RK (2001) Global patterns in root decomposition: comparisons of climate and litter quality effects. Oecologia 129(3):407–419

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smithwick EAH, Eissenstat DM, Lovett GM, Bowden RD, Rustad LE, Driscoll CT (2013) Root stress and nitrogen deposition: consequences and research priorities. New Phytol 197(3):712–719

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Solly EF, Schöning I, Herold N, Trumbore SE, Schrumpf M (2015) No depth-dependence of fine root litter decomposition in temperate beech forest soils. Plant Soil 393(1–2):1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Stark N, Spratt M (1977) Root biomass and nutrient storage in rain forest oxisols near San Carlos de Rio Negro. Trop Ecol 39:1004–1015

    Google Scholar 

  • Stark NM, Jordan CF (1978) Nutrient retention by the root mat of an Amazonian rain forest. Ecology 59(3):434–437

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Subke JA, Hahn V, Battipaglia G, Linder S, Buchmann N, Cotrufo MF (2004) Feedback interactions between needle litter decomposition and rhizosphere activity. Oecologia 139:551–559

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tian D, Niu S (2015) A global analysis of soil acidification caused by nitrogen addition. Environ Res Lett 10(2):24019–24028

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tjoelker MG, Craine JM, Wedin D, Reich PB, Tilman D (2005) Linking leaf and root trait syndromes among 39 grassland and savannah species. New Phytol 167(2):493–508

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tobner CM, Paquette A, Messier C (2013) Interspecific coordination and intraspecific plasticity of fine root traits in north American temperate tree species. Funct Ecol 4(1):242

    Google Scholar 

  • Treseder KK (2004) A meta-analysis of mycorrhizal responses to nitrogen, phosphorus, and atmospheric CO2 in field studies. New Phytol 164(2):347–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valverde-Barrantes OJ, Raich JW, Russell AE (2007) Fine-root mass, growth and nitrogen concentration for six tropical tree species. Plant Soil 290(1–2):357–370

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vogt KA, Vogt DJ, Bloomfield J (1998) Analysis of some direct and indirect methods for estimating root biomass and production of forests at an ecosystem level. Plant Soil 200(1):71–89

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vogt KA, Vogt DJ, Palmiotto PA, Boon P, O’Hara J, Asbjornsen H (1995) Review of root dynamics in forest ecosystems grouped by climate, climatic forest type and species. Plant Soil 187(2):159–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wahl S, Ryser P (2002) Root tissue structure is linked to ecological strategies of grasses. New Phytol 148(3):459–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan X, Huang Z, He Z, Yu Z, Wang M, Davis MR, Yang Y (2015) Soil C:N ratio is the major determinant of soil microbial community structure in subtropical coniferous and broadleaf forest plantations. Plant Soil 387(1–2):103–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang FC, Fang XM, Ding ZQ, Wan SZ, Chen FS (2016a) Effects of understory plant root growth into the litter layer on the leaf litter decomposition of two woody species in a subtropical forest. Forest Ecol Manag 364:39–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang G, Fahey TJ, Xue S, Fang L (2013) Root morphology and architecture respond to N addition in Pinus tabuliformis, West China. Oecologia 171(2):583–590

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Wu X, Hu K, Liu J, Tao J (2016b) Understorey fine root mass and morphology in the litter and upper soil layers of three Chinese subtropical forests. Plant Soil 406(1):1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright SJ, Corre MD (2011) Potassium, phosphorus, or nitrogen limit root allocation, tree growth, or litter production in a lowland tropical forest. Ecology 92(8):1616–1625

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wurzburger N, Wright SJ (2015) Fine root responses to fertilization reveal multiple nutrient limitation in a lowland tropical forest. Ecology 96(8):2137–2146

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zadworny M, Eissenstat DM (2011) Contrasting the morphology, anatomy and fungal colonization of new pioneer and fibrous roots. New Phytol 190(1):213–221

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The research was supported by a National Natural Science Foundation of China (41371269, 31570604 and 31625007) and the National “973” Program of China (2014CB954002).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Subtropical Mountain Ecology (Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province Funded), College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China

    Ruiqiang Liu, Zhiqun Huang, Xiaohua Wan, Zaipeng Yu, Minhuang Wang & Lujia Zheng

  2. School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China

    Ruiqiang Liu & Xuhui Zhou

  3. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing, 100101, China

    M. Luke McCormack

  4. Department of Plant Biology, University of Minnesota, 1445 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    M. Luke McCormack

Authors
  1. Ruiqiang Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhiqun Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Luke McCormack
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xuhui Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xiaohua Wan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Zaipeng Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Minhuang Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Lujia Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhiqun Huang.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Alexia Stokes.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, R., Huang, Z., Luke McCormack, M. et al. Plasticity of fine-root functional traits in the litter layer in response to nitrogen addition in a subtropical forest plantation. Plant Soil 415, 317–330 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3168-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3168-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation