Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The effects of water availability on root growth and morphology in an Amazon rainforest

Metcalfe, Dan LU ; Meir, Patrick ; Aragao, Luiz Eduardo O. C. ; da Costa, Antonio C. L. ; Braga, Alan P. ; Goncalves, Paulo H. L. ; Silva Jr., Joao de Athaydes ; de Almeida, Samuel S. ; Dawson, Lorna A. and Malhi, Yadvinder , et al. (2008) In Plant and Soil 311(1-2). p.189-199
Abstract
This study examined how root growth and morphology were affected by variation in soil moisture at four Amazon rainforest sites with contrasting vegetation and soil types. Mean annual site root mass, length and surface area growth ranged between 3-7 t ha(-1), 2-4 km m(-2) and 8-12 m(2) m(-2) respectively. Mean site specific root length and surface area varied between 8-10 km kg(-1) stop and 24-34 m(2) kg(-1). Growth of root mass, length and surface area was lower when soil water was depleted (P < 0.001) while specific root length and surface area showed the opposite pattern (P < 0.001). These results indicate that changes in root length and surface area per unit mass, and pulses in root growth to exploit transient periods of high soil... (More)
This study examined how root growth and morphology were affected by variation in soil moisture at four Amazon rainforest sites with contrasting vegetation and soil types. Mean annual site root mass, length and surface area growth ranged between 3-7 t ha(-1), 2-4 km m(-2) and 8-12 m(2) m(-2) respectively. Mean site specific root length and surface area varied between 8-10 km kg(-1) stop and 24-34 m(2) kg(-1). Growth of root mass, length and surface area was lower when soil water was depleted (P < 0.001) while specific root length and surface area showed the opposite pattern (P < 0.001). These results indicate that changes in root length and surface area per unit mass, and pulses in root growth to exploit transient periods of high soil water availability may be important means for trees in this ecosystem to increase nutrient and water uptake under seasonal and longer-term drought conditions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Amazon rainforest, soil water availability, root mass growth, root, length, root surface area, specific root length
in
Plant and Soil
volume
311
issue
1-2
pages
189 - 199
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000259042800017
  • scopus:51449097303
ISSN
0032-079X
DOI
10.1007/s11104-008-9670-9
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
68255bf3-eae4-4bc1-80c3-7038d21f9d01 (old id 4644060)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:05:12
date last changed
2022-03-14 03:33:35
@article{68255bf3-eae4-4bc1-80c3-7038d21f9d01,
  abstract     = {{This study examined how root growth and morphology were affected by variation in soil moisture at four Amazon rainforest sites with contrasting vegetation and soil types. Mean annual site root mass, length and surface area growth ranged between 3-7 t ha(-1), 2-4 km m(-2) and 8-12 m(2) m(-2) respectively. Mean site specific root length and surface area varied between 8-10 km kg(-1) stop and 24-34 m(2) kg(-1). Growth of root mass, length and surface area was lower when soil water was depleted (P &lt; 0.001) while specific root length and surface area showed the opposite pattern (P &lt; 0.001). These results indicate that changes in root length and surface area per unit mass, and pulses in root growth to exploit transient periods of high soil water availability may be important means for trees in this ecosystem to increase nutrient and water uptake under seasonal and longer-term drought conditions.}},
  author       = {{Metcalfe, Dan and Meir, Patrick and Aragao, Luiz Eduardo O. C. and da Costa, Antonio C. L. and Braga, Alan P. and Goncalves, Paulo H. L. and Silva Jr., Joao de Athaydes and de Almeida, Samuel S. and Dawson, Lorna A. and Malhi, Yadvinder and Williams, Mathew}},
  issn         = {{0032-079X}},
  keywords     = {{Amazon rainforest; soil water availability; root mass growth; root; length; root surface area; specific root length}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1-2}},
  pages        = {{189--199}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Plant and Soil}},
  title        = {{The effects of water availability on root growth and morphology in an Amazon rainforest}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-008-9670-9}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s11104-008-9670-9}},
  volume       = {{311}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}