Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of morphology and stand structure on root biomass and length differed between absorptive and transport roots in temperate trees

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

Abstract

Aims

Absorptive and transport roots (diameter ≤ 2 mm) are closely related to soil resource uptake for plant growth, carbon budget and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems, but how and why the relative share of root biomass or root length for both root functional types changes with tree species is not well understood. Our aims were to examine the inter-specific variations of root biomass and length per unit area of absorptive and transport roots, and their relationships with stand structure and soil characteristics, root morphological and architectural traits.

Methods

We measured root biomass and length per unit area, diameter, specific root length (SRL), root tissue density (RTD), and branching ratio of the first five order roots, stand and soil characteristics in seven forests consisting of different tree species at a common site. The first order roots were classified as absorptive roots and the other orders as transport roots based on our earlier work.

Results

Biomass ratios of absorptive to transport roots varied from 1:5.56 to 1:1.12 among species, and length ratios ranged from 1:1.56 to 1:0.29. Root biomass was not influenced by root morphology or architecture, nor by stand or soil characteristics. Absorptive root length was significantly correlated with SRL, RTD, and branching ratio of the first to second order roots among species, whereas transport root length was significantly correlated with stem density.

Conclusions

The relative share of biomass and length for absorptive and transport roots differed among tree species, which may influence belowground carbon allocation and resource competition.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

SRL:

Specific root length

RTD:

Root tissue density

N:

Nitrogen

C:

Carbon

References

  • Bauhus J, Messier C (1999) Soil exploitation strategies of fine roots in different tree species of the southern boreal forest of eastern Canada. Can J For Res 29:260–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen WL, Zeng H, Eissenstat DM, Guo DL (2013) Variation of first-order root traits across climatic gradients and evolutionary trends in geological time. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 22:846–856

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen HY, Dong YF, Xu T, Wang YP, Wang HT, Duan BL (2017) Root order-dependent seasonal dynamics in the carbon and nitrogen chemistry of poplar fine roots. New For 48:587–607

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen WL, Koide RT, Eissenstat DM (2018) Root morphology and mycorrhizal type strongly influence root production in nutrient hot spots of mixed forests. J Ecol 106:148–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng L, Chen WL, Adams TS, Wei X, Li L, McCormack ML, Deforest JL, Koide RT, Eissenstat DM (2016) Mycorrhizal fungi and roots are complementary in foraging within nutrient patches. Ecology 97:2815–2823

    Article  PubMed  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 208:114–124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finér L, Helmisaari H-S, Lõhmus K, Majdi H, Brunner I, Børja I, Eldhuset T, Godbold D, Grebenc T, Konôpka B, Kraigher H, Möttönen MR, Ohashi M, Oleksyn J, Ostonen I, Uri V, Vanguelova E (2007) Variation in fine root biomass of three European tree species: beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies L. karst.), and scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Plant Biosystems 141:394–405

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finér L, Ohashi M, Noguchi K, Hirano Y (2011) Factors causing variation in fine root biomass in forest ecosystems. Forest Ecol Manag 261:265–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freschet GT, Roumet C (2017) Sampling roots to capture plant and soil functions. Funct Ecol 8(31):1506–1518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaudinski JB, Torn MS, Riley WJ, Dawson TE, Joslin JD, Majdi H (2010) Measuring and modeling the spectrum of fine-root turnover times in three forests using isotopes, minirhizotrons, and the Radix model. Global Biogeochem Cy 24:GB3029

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gong ZT, Chen ZC, Luo GB, Zhang GL, Zhao WJ (1999) Soil reference with Chinese soil taxonomy. Soils 31:57–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Gu JC, Xu Y, Dong XY, Wang HF, Wang ZQ (2014) Root diameter variations explained by anatomy and phylogeny of 50 tropical and temperate tree species. Tree Physiol 34:415–425

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gu JC, Wang Y, Fahey TJ, Wang ZQ (2017) Effects of root diameter, branch order, soil depth and season of birth on fine root life span in five temperate tree species. Eur J Forest Res 136:727–738

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guo DL, Mitchell RJ, Hendricks JJ (2004) Fine root branch orders respond differentially to carbon source-sink manipulations in a longleaf pine forest. Oecologia 140:450–457

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guo DL, Li HB, Mitchell RJ, Han W, Hendricks JJ, Fahey TJ, Hendrick RL (2008a) Fine root heterogeneity by branch order: exploring the discrepancy in root turnover estimates between minirhizotron and carbon isotopic methods. New Phytol 177(2):443–456

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guo DL, Xia MX, Wei X, Chang WJ, Liu Y, Wang ZQ (2008b) Anatomical traits associated with absorption and mycorrhizal colonization are linked to root branch order in twenty-three Chinese temperate tree species. New Phytol 180:673–683

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Helmisaari H-S, Ostonen I, Lõhmus K, Derome J, Lindroos A-J, Merilä NP (2009) Ectomycorrhizal root tips in relation to site and stand characteristics in Norway spruce and scots pine stands in boreal forests. Tree Physiol 29:445–456

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hishi T (2007) Heterogeneity of individual roots within the fine root architecture: causal links between physiological and ecosystem functions. J Forest Res 12:126–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson RB, Mooney HA, Schulze ED (1997) A global budget for fine root biomass, surface area, and nutrient contents. P Natl Acad Sci, USA 94:7362–7366

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joslin JD, Gaudinski JB, Torn MS, Riley WJ, Hanson PJ (2006) Fine-root turnover patterns and their relationship to root diameter and soil depth in a 14C-labeled hardwood forest. New Phytol 172:523–535

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kou L, Guo DL, Yang H, Gao WL, Li SG (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 391:207–218

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lehtonen A, Palviainen M, Ojanen PA, Kalliokoski T, Nöjd P, Kukkola M, Penttilä T, Mäkipää R, Leppälammi-Kujansuu J, Helmisaari HS (2016) Modelling fine root biomass of boreal tree stands using site and stand variables. Forest Ecol Manag 359:361–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leuschner C, Hertel D (2003) Fine root biomass of temperate forests in relation to soil acidity and fertility, climate, age and species. In: Esser K, Lüttge U, Beyschlag W, Hellwig F (eds) Progress in botany. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg, pp 405–438

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Liu YK, Fan C, Li XW, Ling YH, Zhou YG, Feng MS, Huang CD (2012) Effects of thinning on fine root biomass and carbon storage of subalpine Picea asperata plantation in Western Sichuan Province, China. Chinese J Plant Ecology 36:645–654

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu RQ, Huang ZQ, McCormack ML et al (2016) 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

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu C, Xiang WH, Zou LM, Lei PF, Zeng YL, Ouyang S, Deng XW, Fang X, Liu ZL, Peng CH (2019) Variation in the functional traits of fine roots is linked to phylogenetics in the common tree species of Chinese subtropical forests. Plant Soil 436:347–364

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McCormack ML, Dickie IA, Eissenstat DM et al (2015) Redefining fine roots improves understanding of below-ground contributions to terrestrial biosphere processes. New Phytol 207:505–518

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCormack ML, Guo DL, Iversen CM et al (2017) Building a better foundation: improving root-trait measurements to understand and model plant and ecosystem processes. New Phytol 215:27–37

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miyamoto K, Wagai R, Aiba S, Nilus R (2016) Variation in the aboveground stand structure and fine-root biomass of Bornean heath (kerangas) forests in relation to altitude and soil nitrogen availability. Trees 30:385–394

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noguchi K, Konôpka B, Satomura T, Kaneko S, Takahashi M (2007) Biomass and production of fine roots in Japanese forests. J Forest Res 12:83–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ostonen I, Helmisaari H-S, Borken W, Tedersoo L, Kukumägi M, Bahram M, Lindroos AJ, Nöjd P, Uri V, Merilä P (2011) Fine root foraging strategies in Norway spruce forests across a European climate gradient. Glob Chang Biol 17:3620–3632

    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 72:293–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards AE, Forrester DI, Bauhus J, Scherer-Lorenzen M (2010) The influence of mixed tree plantations on the nutrition of individual species: a review. Tree Physiol 30:1192–1208

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Su Y, Li XW, Liu YK, Li JF, Yin HF, Wang ZN (2015) Fine root morphology and biomass characteristics at preliminary stage of gap border trees of reformed low beneficial Cupressus funebris forests. Acta Bot Boreal–Occident Sin 35:0587–0593

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor BN, Strand AE, Cooper ER, Beidler KV, Schonholz M, Pritchard SG (2014) Root length, biomass, tissue chemistry and mycorrhizal colonization following 14 years of CO2 enrichment and 6 years of N fertilization in a warm temperate forest. Tree Physiol 34:955–965

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vanninen P, Mäkelä A (1999) Fine root biomass of scots pine stands differing in age and soil fertility in southern Finland. Tree Physiol 19(12):823–830

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vogt KA, Grier CC, Vogt DJ (1986) Production, turnover, and nutrient fynamics of above- and belowground detritus of world forests. Adv Ecol Res 15:303–377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vogt KA, Vogt DJ, Palmiotto PA, Boon P, O'Hara J, Asbjornsen H (1996) Review of root dynamics in forest ecosystems grouped by climate, climatic forest type and species. Plant Soil 187:159–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang ZQ, Guo DL, Wang XR, Gu JC, Mei L (2006) Fine root architecture, morphology, and biomass of different branch orders of two Chinese temperate tree species. Plant Soil 288:155–171

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang GL, Fahey TJ, Xue S, Liu F (2013a) Root morphology and architecture respond to N addition in Pinus tabuliformis, West China. Oecologia 171:583–590

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang ZH, Li RX, Guan QW (2013b) Effects of thinning on fine-root morphology, biomass and N concentration of different branch orders of Chinese fir. Chinese J Appl Ecol 24:1487–1493

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang GL, Liu F, Xue S (2017a) Nitrogen addition enhanced water uptake by affecting fine root morphology and coarse root anatomy of Chinese pine seedlings. Plant Soil 418:177–189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang SZ, Wang ZQ, Gu JC (2017b) Variation patterns of fine root biomass, production and turnover in Chinese forests. J For Res 28:1185–1194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren JM, Hanson PJ, Iversen CM, Kumar J, Walker AP, Wullschleger SD (2015) Root structural and functional dynamics in terrestrial biosphere models –evaluation and recommendations. New Phytol 205:59–78

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wells CE, Eissenstat DM (2001) Marked differences in survivorship among apple roots of different diameters. Ecology 82:882–892

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu T, Wang HT, Zhu WR, Wang YP, Li CR, Jiang YZ (2015) Morphological and anatomical traits of poplar fine roots in successive rotation plantations. Sci Silvae Sinicae 51:119–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Yuan ZY, Chen HYH (2010) Fine root biomass, production, turnover rates, and nutrient contents in boreal forest ecosystems in relation to species, climate, fertility, and stand age: literature review and meta-analyses. Crit Rev Plant Sci 29:204–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zadworny M, McCormack ML, Rawlik K, Jagodziński AM (2015) Seasonal variation in chemistry, but not morphology, in roots of Quercus robur growing in different soil type. Tree Physiol 35(6):644–652

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zadworny M, McCormack ML, Mucha J, Reich PB, Oleksyn J (2016) Scots pine fine roots adjust along a 2000-km latitudinal climatic gradient. New Phytol 212:389–399

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou GY, Zhou XH, Nie YY, Bai SH, Zhou L, Shao J, Cheng W, Wang J, Hu F, Fu Y (2018) Drought-induced changes in root biomass largely result from altered root morphological traits: evidence from a synthesis of global field trials. Plant Cell Environ 41:2589–2599

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Lijuan Xiao, Zhendong Ma for assistance on field work. We also thank Catherine Dandie, PhD, for editing the English text of an earlier draft of this manuscript. We especially appreciate two anonymous reviewers and the editor for comments that improved this article. This research was jointly supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2572018BA11), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31870608 and 31100470), and the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province (No. C2016004).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Yanan Wang and Guoqiang Gao contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China

    Yanan Wang, Guoqiang Gao, Na Wang, Zhengquan Wang & Jiacun Gu

  2. Daxing anling Surveying, Planning and Designing Institute of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Jiagedaqi, 165000, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China

    Yanan Wang

Authors
  1. Yanan Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guoqiang Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Na Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhengquan Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jiacun Gu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jiacun Gu.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Amandine Erktan.

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 1221 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, Y., Gao, G., Wang, N. et al. Effects of morphology and stand structure on root biomass and length differed between absorptive and transport roots in temperate trees. Plant Soil 442, 355–367 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04206-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04206-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation