Fine-root morphological trait variation in tropical forest ecosystems: an evidence synthesis

Addo-Danso, Shalom Daniel; Defrenne, Camille E.; McCormack, M. Luke; Ostonen, Ivika; Addo-Danso, Abigail; Foli, Ernest G.; Borden, Kira A.; Isaac, Marney E.; Prescott, Cindy E.

doi:10.1007/s11258-019-00986-1

Cited by 32 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Moreover, while GRooT contains global data with a wide geographical range, the species coverage in South America and Africa remains limited irrespective of trait type, reflecting overall biases in global ecological observations (Martin et al, 2012;Cornwell et al, 2019). Thus, targeted initiatives in these regions, such as that by Addo-Danso et al (2019), are fundamental. While GRooT includes around 6,500 species, initiatives to increase the representativeness of species for families with highest species richness, such as Fabaceae, Fagaceae, Orchidaceae, and Poaceae, are also required.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Root Traits (GRooT) Database

Guerrero‐Ramírez

Mommer²,

Freschet

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Motivation: Trait data are fundamental to quantitatively describe plant form and function. Although root traits capture key dimensions related to plant responses to changing environmental conditions and effects on ecosystem processes, they have rarely been included in large-scale comparative studies and global models. For instance, root traits remain absent from nearly all studies that define the global spectrum of plant form and function. Thus, to overcome conceptual and methodological roadblocks preventing a widespread integration of root trait data into large-scale analyses we created the Global Root Trait (GRooT) Database. GRooT provides ready-to-use data by combining the expertise of root ecologists with data mobilization and curation. Specifically, we (i) determined a set of core root traits relevant to the description of plant form and function based on an assessment by experts, (ii) maximized species coverage through data standardization within and among traits, and (iii) implemented data quality checks. Main types of variables contained:GRooT contains 114,222 trait records on 38 continuous root traits. Spatial location and grain:Global coverage with data from arid, continental, polar, temperate, and tropical biomes. Data on root traits derived from experimental studies and field studies. Time period and grain: Data recorded between 1911 and 2019Major taxa and level of measurement: GRooT includes root trait data for which taxonomic information is available. Trait records vary in their taxonomic resolution, with sub-species or varieties being the highest and genera the lowest taxonomic resolution available. It contains information for 184 sub-species or varieties, 6,214 species, 1,967 genera and 254 families. Due to variation in data sources, trait records in the database include both individual observations and mean values. Software format:GRooT includes two csv file. A GitHub repository contains the csv files and a script in R to query the database.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Root Traits (GRooT) Database

Guerrero‐Ramírez

Mommer²,

Freschet

et al. 2020

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…The variation of fine root functional traits along environmental gradients is currently a widely discussed topic in plant functional ecology (e.g. Addo‐Danso et al ., 2020; Delpiano et al ., 2020; Ding et al ., 2020). By contrast with aboveground plant organs, which have been studied extensively (Westoby et al ., 2002; Wright et al ., 2004; Chave et al ., 2009; Díaz et al ., 2016), less is known about the leading dimensions of root functional traits and their association with abiotic factors (Laliberté, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Topography as a factor driving small‐scale variation in tree fine root traits and root functional diversity in a species‐rich tropical montane forest

2020

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We investigated the variation in tree fine root traits and their functional diversity along a local topographic gradient in a Neotropical montane forest to test if fine root trait variation along the gradient is consistent with the predictions of the root economics spectrum on a shift from acquisitive to conservative traits with decreasing resource supply. We measured five fine root functional traits in 179 randomly selected tree individuals of 100 species and analysed the variation of single traits (using Bayesian phylogenetic multilevel models) and of functional trait diversity with small‐scale topography. Fine roots exhibited more conservative traits (thicker diameters, lower specific root length and nitrogen concentration) at upper slope compared with lower slope positions, but the largest proportion of variation (40–80%) was explained by species identity and phylogeny. Fine root functional diversity decreased towards the upper slopes. Our results suggest that local topography and the related soil fertility and moisture gradients cause considerable small‐scale variation in fine root traits and functional diversity along tropical mountain slopes, with conservative root traits and greater trait convergence being associated with less favourable soil conditions due to environmental filtering. We provide evidence of a high degree of phylogenetic conservation in fine root traits.

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“…The morphology and architecture of root systems vary greatly between plant species but also within individual species (Cannon, 1949;Nibau et al, 2008). Biogeochemical processes in forest ecosystems are strongly influenced by root architecture (Addo-Danso et al, 2020), as well as the ability of plants to survive under stressful conditions (Penuelas et al, 2013). Functional traits of fine roots vary with environmental conditions and resource distribution (Ostonen et al, 2007).…”

Section: Morphology and Anatomy Of Deep Fine Rootsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The variability of environmental factors affecting root growth are buffered in deep soil layers compared to the topsoil (Voroney, 2007). Changes in fine root structure, architecture, and production with soil depth can be influenced by the spatial heterogeneity of soil resources and soil microclimate (Addo-Danso et al, 2020). Root ingrowth bags installed down to a depth of 6 m in mixed-species plantations of Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus grandis showed a remarkable capacity of very deep roots to explore resource-rich soil patches despite their low density in the soil (Germon et al, 2018).…”

Section: Influence Of Soil Environment and Resource Availabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, most of the studies dealing with fine roots in FACE experiments were carried out in the upper soil layers. Fine root traits influence tree functioning (Prieto et al, 2015;Addo-Danso et al, 2020) but the scarcity of information on the influence of the rise of atmospheric CO 2 concentrations on fine roots traits at depths of >30 cm limits our understanding of the response of forests to climate change on huge areas. Studies dealing with the influence of elevated CO 2 concentrations on root distributions and fine root traits in deep soil layers are therefore urgently needed for tree species.…”

Section: Influence Of Soil Environment and Resource Availabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tamm Review: Deep fine roots in forest ecosystems: Why dig deeper?

Germon

Laclau

Robin

et al. 2020

Forest Ecology and Management

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While the number of studies dealing with fine root dynamics in deep soils layers (depth > 1 m) has increased sharply recently, the phenology, the morphology, the anatomy and the role of deep fine roots are still poorly known in forest ecosystems. This review summarizes the current knowledge on fine root production, mortality and longevity in deep soil layers, mycorrhizal association with deep roots, and the role of deep fine roots on carbon, water and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Plant species are known to be more deeply rooted in tropical ecosystems than in temperate and boreal ecosystems, but deep-rooted species are common in a wide range of climates. Deep fine roots are highly plastic in response to changes in environmental conditions and soil resources. Recent studies show that functional traits can be different for deep and shallow roots, with a possible functional specialization of deep fine roots to take up nutrients. With higher vessel diameter and larger tracheid, the anatomy of deep fine roots is also oriented toward water acquisition and transport by increasing the hydraulic conductivity. Deep fine roots can have a great impact on the biogeochemical cycles in many forests (in particular in tropical areas where highly weathered soils are commonly very deep), making it possible to take up water and nutrients over dry periods and contributing to store carbon in the soil. The biogeochemical models in forest ecosystems need to consider the specificity of deep root functioning to better predict carbon, water and nutrient cycling as well as net ecosystem productivity.

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Fine-root morphological trait variation in tropical forest ecosystems: an evidence synthesis

Cited by 32 publications

References 70 publications

Global Root Traits (GRooT) Database

Global Root Traits (GRooT) Database

Topography as a factor driving small‐scale variation in tree fine root traits and root functional diversity in a species‐rich tropical montane forest

Tamm Review: Deep fine roots in forest ecosystems: Why dig deeper?

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