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Linkage of root morphology to anatomy with increasing nitrogen availability in six temperate tree species

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Abstract

Aims

Fine root morphological traits are generally changed under soil nitrogen (N) enrichment, however, the underlying mechanism and functional significance are still not well understood. Our aims were to investigate the linkage of root morphology to anatomy, and its implication for root function at elevated soil N availability.

Methods

Ingrowth cores were used to sample root tips (0–20 cm soil depth) from six temperate tree species growing in monoculture plantations at a common site in northeastern China. Root morphological and anatomical traits were concurrently measured, and their relationships were determined within and among species in both control and N fertilization (10 g N m−2y−1) plots.

Results

Root diameter generally increased in all six species (non-significant for Phellodendron amurense) following N fertilization, which was caused by the increased root stele radius rather than cortical thickness. Congruently, N fertilization significantly decreased the ratio of cortical thickness to stele radius, but increased the ratio of total cross-sectional area of conduits to stele area in root tips across all species.

Conclusions

The observed anatomical changes of root tips contributed to the alternations of morphological root traits following N fertilization, with potentially important impacts on root physiological functions, like increased water and nutrient transport.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Shaozhong Wang, Jianpu Wei and Xiaoran Cao for field works, and Drs Xueyun Dong and Hongfeng Wang for root anatomical works in laboratory. We also thank two anonymous reviewers, the editor, and Professor TJ Fahey for comments that improved an earlier draft of this article. The funding for this research was jointly supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2016YFD060020101), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31100470 and 30130160).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China

    Wenna Wang, Yan Wang, Zhengquan Wang & Jiacun Gu

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences–Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland

    Günter Hoch

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  1. Wenna Wang
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  2. Yan Wang
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  3. Günter Hoch
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  4. Zhengquan Wang
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  5. Jiacun Gu
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Correspondence to Jiacun Gu.

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Responsible Editor: Alexia Stokes

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Wang, W., Wang, Y., Hoch, G. et al. Linkage of root morphology to anatomy with increasing nitrogen availability in six temperate tree species. Plant Soil 425, 189–200 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3563-3

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