The study of tree fine root distribution and dynamics using a combined trench and observation window method

Bedeneau, Max; Auclair, Daniel

doi:10.1051/forest:19890307

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…A much larger size of the root system compared to the crown area was already reported for deciduous trees by Stout (1956) who found a mean ratio of 4.5:1 for crown versus root system area. For Fagus, Quercus and Tilia, we found a gradual decrease in fine root density with increasing stem distance within a radius of 10 m or more, but not a strict stem-centred distribution pattern as it was observed, for example, in spruce forests by Bédéneau and Auclair (1989) and Nielsen and Mackenthun (1991). Of the species present showed Carpinus the steepest decrease in fine root biomass with increasing stem distance.…”

Section: Relationship Between Aboveground and Belowground Structuressupporting

confidence: 53%

Belowground competition in a broad-leaved temperate mixed forest: pattern analysis and experiments in a four-species stand

Rewald

Leuschner

2009

Eur J Forest Res

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We investigated fine root biomass and distribution patterns in a species-rich temperate CarpinusQuercus-Fagus-Tilia forest and searched for experimental evidence of symmetry or asymmetry in belowground competition. We conducted extensive root coring and applied the recently introduced in situ-root growth chamber technique for quantifying fine root growth under experimentally altered intra-and interspecific root neighbourhoods in the intact stand. In 75% of all soil cores, fine roots of more than two tree species were present indicating a broad overlap of the root systems of neighbouring trees. Quercus trees had more than ten times less fine root biomass in relation to aboveground biomass or productivity (stem growth) and a much higher leaf area index/root area index ratio than Carpinus, Fagus and Tilia trees. The root growth chamber experiments indicated a high belowground competitive ability of Fagus in interspecific interactions, but a low one of Quercus. We conclude that (1) interspecific root competition is ubiquitous in this mixed stand, (2) root competition between trees can be clearly asymmetric, and (3) tree species may be ranked according to their belowground competitive ability. Fagus was found to be the most successful species in belowground competition which matches with its superiority in aboveground competition in this forest community.

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Section: Relationship Between Aboveground and Belowground Structuressupporting

confidence: 53%

Belowground competition in a broad-leaved temperate mixed forest: pattern analysis and experiments in a four-species stand

Rewald

Leuschner

2009

Eur J Forest Res

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“…For Fraxinus, Tilia and Acer, we found a gradual decrease in fine root density with increasing stem distance within a radius of 10 m or more, but not a strict stemcentered distribution pattern as it was observed, for example, in spruce forests by Bédéneau and Auclair (1989) and Nielsen and Mackenthun (1991). Only in the case of Carpinus and Fagus trees growing in mixed stands, fine root biomass showed a steep decrease within an 8 m-radius around the stems.…”

Section: Horizontal Fine Root Distribution and Species Overlapmentioning

confidence: 51%

No evidence of spatial root system segregation and elevated fine root biomass in multi-species temperate broad-leaved forests

Meinen

Leuschner

Ryan

et al. 2009

Trees

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Differences in spatial rooting patterns among coexisting species have been recognized as an important mechanism for generating biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning. However, it is not yet clear whether complementarity in root space exploration is a universal characteristic of multi-species woody communities. In a temperate broad-leaved forest with a mosaic of speciespoor and species-rich stands, we tested two hypotheses related to putative below-ground 'overyielding' in more diverse forests, (1) that species mixture results in a partial spatial segregation of the fine root systems of different species, and (2) that stand fine root biomass increases with tree species diversity. We investigated 12 stands either with one, three, or five dominant tree species (4 replicate stands each) under similar soil and climate conditions for stand fine root biomass and spatial root segregation in vertical and horizontal direction in the soil. Fine roots of different tree species were identified using a morphological key based on differences in colour, periderm surface structure, and branching patterns. In species-poor and species-rich stands, and in all tree species present, fine root density (biomass per soil volume) decreased exponentially with soil depth at very similar rates. Stand fine root biomass in the densely rooted upper soil (0-40 cm depth) was not significantly different between stands with 1, 3 or 5 dominant tree species. We conclude that 'below-ground overyielding' in terms of higher fine root biomasses in species-rich stands as compared to monospecific ones does not occur in these broad-leaved forests which most likely results from a missing complementarity in vertical rooting patterns of the present tree species.

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“…In the case of low tree density (e.g., 100 tree ha − 1 ) a minimum root reinforcement of 7 kPa requires trees with diameter larger than 0.7 m. Surprisingly, the values calculated for the two different lattice geometries (triangular or square) yield similar values of root reinforcement, with a maximum difference of less than 10%. In all the cases considered, the maximum density of fine roots was always less than 300 roots m − 2 , below the values of maximum physiological threshold reported in the literature (Bedeneau and Auclair, 1989;Müller and Wagner, 2003;Yanai et al, 2006).…”

Section: Root Systems Mechanical Interactions On Triangular or Squarementioning

confidence: 83%

Spatial characterization of root reinforcement at stand scale: Theory and case study

2012

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The study of tree fine root distribution and dynamics using a combined trench and observation window method

Cited by 14 publications

References 10 publications

Belowground competition in a broad-leaved temperate mixed forest: pattern analysis and experiments in a four-species stand

Belowground competition in a broad-leaved temperate mixed forest: pattern analysis and experiments in a four-species stand

No evidence of spatial root system segregation and elevated fine root biomass in multi-species temperate broad-leaved forests

Spatial characterization of root reinforcement at stand scale: Theory and case study

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