Abstract
The distribution of fine (<2 mm diameter) and small roots (2–20 mm diameter) was investigated in a chronosequence consisting of 9-year-old, 26-year-old, 82-year-old and 146-year-old European beech (Fagus sylvatica) stands. A combination of trench wall observations and destructive root sampling was used to establish whether root distribution and total biomass of fine and small roots varied with stand age. Root density decreased with soil depth in all stands, and variability appeared to be highest in subsoil horizons, especially where compacted soil layers occurred. Roots clustered in patches in the top 0–50 cm of the soil or were present as root channels at greater depths. Cluster number, cluster size and number of root channels were comparable in all stands, and high values of soil exploitation occurred throughout the entire chronosequence. Overall fine root biomass at depths of 0–120 cm ranged from 7.4 Mg ha−1 to 9.8 Mg ha−1, being highest in the two youngest stands. Small root biomass ranged from 3.6 Mg ha−1 to 13.3 Mg ha−1. Use of trench wall observations combined with destructive root samples reduced the variability of these estimates. These records showed that variability in fine root distribution depended more on soil depth and edaphic conditions than on stand age, and suggest that trench wall studies provide a useful tool to improve estimates of fine root biomass.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Serge Didier for his help in establishing soil pits. Funding for the maintenance and experimental costs in the forest of Fougères time sequence was obtained from the Office National des Forêts (ONF) and GIP ECOFOR. Laurent Augusto is thanked for his valuable suggestions for data handling, graphics formatting and useful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. We further acknowledge the valuable suggestions of two anonymous reviewers for improvements to our work.
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Bakker, M.R., Turpault, MP., Huet, S. et al. Root distribution of Fagus sylvatica in a chronosequence in western France. J For Res 13, 176–184 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-008-0068-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-008-0068-6