How to study deep roots–and why it matters
The drivers underlying the development of deep root systems, whether genetic or environmental, are poorly understood but evidence has accumulated that deep rooting could be a more widespread and important trait among plants than commonly anticipated from their share of root biomass. Even though a di...
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doaj-ef83286ecf7a48de8ec670680f5d6c482020-11-24T23:05:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2013-08-01410.3389/fpls.2013.0029956547How to study deep roots–and why it mattersJean-Luc eMaeght0Boris eRewald1Alain ePierret2Joint Research Unit BIOEMCO, IRDForest Ecology, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Science.Joint Research Unit BIOEMCO, IRDThe drivers underlying the development of deep root systems, whether genetic or environmental, are poorly understood but evidence has accumulated that deep rooting could be a more widespread and important trait among plants than commonly anticipated from their share of root biomass. Even though a distinct classification of deep roots is missing to date, deep roots provide important functions for individual plants such as nutrient and water uptake but can also shape plant communities by hydraulic lift. Subterranean fauna and microbial communities are highly influenced by resources provided in the deep rhizosphere and deep roots can influence soil paedogenesis and carbon storage. Despite recent technological advances, the study of deep roots and their rhizosphere remains inherently time-consuming, technically demanding and costly, which explains why deep roots are yet to be given the attention they deserve. While state-of-the-art technologies are promising for laboratory studies involving relatively small soil volumes, they remain of limited use for the in situ observation of deep roots. Thus, basic techniques such as destructive sampling or observations at transparent interfaces with the soil (e.g., root windows) which have been known and used for decades to observe roots near the soil surface, must be adapted to the specific requirements of deep root observation. In this review, we successively address major physical, biogeochemical and ecological functions of deep roots to emphasise the significance of deep roots and to illustrate the yet limited knowledge. In a second part we describe the main methodological options to observe and measure deep roots, providing researchers interested in the field of deep root/rhizosphere studies with a comprehensive overview. Addressed methodologies are excavations, trenches and soil coring approaches, minirhizotrons, access shafts, caves and mines, and indirect approaches such as tracer-based techniques.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpls.2013.00299/fullPhysicaldeep rootsaccess shaftsbiogeochemical & ecological functionsdeep roots definitionroots rhizosphere |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jean-Luc eMaeght Boris eRewald Alain ePierret |
spellingShingle |
Jean-Luc eMaeght Boris eRewald Alain ePierret How to study deep roots–and why it matters Frontiers in Plant Science Physical deep roots access shafts biogeochemical & ecological functions deep roots definition roots rhizosphere |
author_facet |
Jean-Luc eMaeght Boris eRewald Alain ePierret |
author_sort |
Jean-Luc eMaeght |
title |
How to study deep roots–and why it matters |
title_short |
How to study deep roots–and why it matters |
title_full |
How to study deep roots–and why it matters |
title_fullStr |
How to study deep roots–and why it matters |
title_full_unstemmed |
How to study deep roots–and why it matters |
title_sort |
how to study deep roots–and why it matters |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Plant Science |
issn |
1664-462X |
publishDate |
2013-08-01 |
description |
The drivers underlying the development of deep root systems, whether genetic or environmental, are poorly understood but evidence has accumulated that deep rooting could be a more widespread and important trait among plants than commonly anticipated from their share of root biomass. Even though a distinct classification of deep roots is missing to date, deep roots provide important functions for individual plants such as nutrient and water uptake but can also shape plant communities by hydraulic lift. Subterranean fauna and microbial communities are highly influenced by resources provided in the deep rhizosphere and deep roots can influence soil paedogenesis and carbon storage. Despite recent technological advances, the study of deep roots and their rhizosphere remains inherently time-consuming, technically demanding and costly, which explains why deep roots are yet to be given the attention they deserve. While state-of-the-art technologies are promising for laboratory studies involving relatively small soil volumes, they remain of limited use for the in situ observation of deep roots. Thus, basic techniques such as destructive sampling or observations at transparent interfaces with the soil (e.g., root windows) which have been known and used for decades to observe roots near the soil surface, must be adapted to the specific requirements of deep root observation. In this review, we successively address major physical, biogeochemical and ecological functions of deep roots to emphasise the significance of deep roots and to illustrate the yet limited knowledge. In a second part we describe the main methodological options to observe and measure deep roots, providing researchers interested in the field of deep root/rhizosphere studies with a comprehensive overview. Addressed methodologies are excavations, trenches and soil coring approaches, minirhizotrons, access shafts, caves and mines, and indirect approaches such as tracer-based techniques. |
topic |
Physical deep roots access shafts biogeochemical & ecological functions deep roots definition roots rhizosphere |
url |
http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpls.2013.00299/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT jeanlucemaeght howtostudydeeprootsandwhyitmatters AT boriserewald howtostudydeeprootsandwhyitmatters AT alainepierret howtostudydeeprootsandwhyitmatters |
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