Root Decomposition | ScienceGate

Fine-root decomposition contributes a substantial amount of nitrogen that sustains both plant productivity and soil metabolism, given the high turnover rates and short root life spans of fine roots. Fine-root decomposition and soil carbon and nitrogen cycling were investigated in a 1-year field litterbag study on lower-order roots (1–2 and 3–4) of Pinus massoniana to understand the mechanisms of heterogeneity in decomposition rates and further provide a scientific basis for short-time research on fine-root decomposition and nutrient cycling. Lower-order roots had slower decay rates compared with higher-order roots (5–6). A significantly negative correlation was observed between the decay constant mass remaining and initial N concentrations as well as acid unhydrolyzable residues. Results also showed that in lower-order roots (orders 1–2 and 3–4) with a lower C:N ratio, root residual N was released and then immobilized, whereas in higher-order roots (order 5–6) with a higher C:N ratio, root residual N was immobilized and then released in the initial stage. In the later stage, N immobilization occurred in lower-order roots and N release in higher-order roots, with the C:N ratio gradually decreasing to about 40 in three branching-order classes and then increasing. Our results suggest that lower-order roots decompose more slowly than higher-order roots, which may result from the combined effects of high initial N concentration and poor C quality in lower-order roots. During the decomposition of P. massoniana, N release or N immobilization occurred at the critical C:N ratio.

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Global patterns in fine root decomposition: climate, chemistry, mycorrhizal association and woodiness

Ecology Letters ◽

10.1111/ele.13248 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 946-953 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Craig R. See ◽

Michael Luke McCormack ◽

Sarah E. Hobbie ◽

Habacuc Flores‐Moreno ◽

Whendee L. Silver ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fine Root ◽

Root Decomposition ◽

Mycorrhizal Association ◽

Global Patterns ◽

Fine Root Decomposition

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Fine Root Decomposition and Cycling of Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn at Forest Sites Near Smelters in Sudbury, ON, and Rouyn-Noranda, QU, Canada

Human and Ecological Risk Assessment An International Journal ◽

10.1080/10807030701790447 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 41-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Dallas Johnson ◽

Beverley Hale

Keyword(s):

Fine Root ◽

Root Decomposition ◽

Forest Sites ◽

Fine Root Decomposition

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Fine root decomposition, nutrient mobilization and fungal communities in a pine forest ecosystem

Soil Biology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1016/j.soilbio.2015.01.019 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 83 ◽

pp. 76-83 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Ang Li ◽

Timothy J. Fahey ◽

Teresa E. Pawlowska ◽

Melany C. Fisk ◽

James Burtis

Keyword(s):

Forest Ecosystem ◽

Fine Root ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Fungal Communities ◽

Root Decomposition ◽

Nutrient Mobilization ◽

Fine Root Decomposition

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Effect of thinning on production and mortality of fine roots in a Pinusradiata plantation on a fertile site in New Zealand

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x87-144 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 17 (8) ◽

pp. 919-928 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

D. Santantonio ◽

E. Santantonio

Keyword(s):

Fine Roots ◽

Standing Crop ◽

Fine Root ◽

General Pattern ◽

Minor Component ◽

Root Decomposition ◽

Root Production ◽

Soil Core ◽

Stem Wood ◽

Small Roots

The effects of heavy thinning (60% reduction in basal area) on fine (< 1 mm diam.) and small roots (1–5 mm diam.) were evaluated during the 2nd year following treatment by periodic soil core sampling in a 12-year-old plantation of Pinusradiata D. Don. Data from these samples enabled us to estimate monthly standing crops of live and dead fine roots and seasonal rates of fine-root decomposition. We used a compartment-flow model to estimate production and mortality of fine roots with monthly resolution from these data. The general pattern of production and mortality was modal and out of phase with soil temperature. On an area basis, thinning reduced the overall standing crop of live fine roots from 1.38 to 0.55 Mg/ha; the standing crop of dead fine roots remained unchanged at 4.37 Mg/ha. The standing crop of live small roots declined from 1.03 to 0.54 Mg/ha. Annual production of fine roots was estimated at 2.2 and 1.9 Mg•ha−1•year−1 in the control and thinned treatment, respectively, and mortality was estimated at 2.1 and 2.0 Mg•ha−1•ear−1 in the control and thinned treatment, respectively. Thinning shortened mean fine-root longevity from 6.2 to 2.5 months. With respect to total dry matter production, fine-root production remained a minor component following a heavy thinning. It accounted for only 4.6 and 6.1% of the stand total in the control and thinned treatments, respectively. These results indicate that on a fertile site with a mild climate the opportunity to shift production from fine roots to another component, such as stem wood, is likely to be small.

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Soil acidification alters root morphology, increases root biomass but reduces root decomposition in an alpine grassland

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115016 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 265 ◽

pp. 115016 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Peng Wang ◽

Jin Guo ◽

Xinyu Xu ◽

Xuebin Yan ◽

Kangcheng Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Root Morphology ◽

Soil Acidification ◽

Root Biomass ◽

Alpine Grassland ◽

Root Decomposition

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Fire affects root decomposition, soil food web structure, and carbon flow in tallgrass prairie

SOIL ◽

10.5194/soil-2-199-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 199-210 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

E. Ashley Shaw ◽

Karolien Denef ◽

Cecilia Milano de Tomasel ◽

M. Francesca Cotrufo ◽

Diana H. Wall

Keyword(s):

Food Web ◽

Tallgrass Prairie ◽

Trophic Levels ◽

Root Turnover ◽

Root Decomposition ◽

Microbial Abundance ◽

Soil Food Web ◽

Root Litter ◽

Flow Through ◽

Over Time

Abstract. Root litter decomposition is a major component of carbon (C) cycling in grasslands, where it provides energy and nutrients for soil microbes and fauna. This is especially important in grasslands where fire is common and removes aboveground litter accumulation. In this study, we investigated whether fire affects root decomposition and C flow through the belowground food web. In a greenhouse experiment, we applied 13C-enriched big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) root litter to intact tallgrass prairie soil cores collected from annually burned (AB) and infrequently burned (IB) treatments at the Konza Prairie Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site. Incorporation of 13C into microbial phospholipid fatty acids and nematode trophic groups was measured on six occasions during a 180-day decomposition study to determine how C was translocated through the soil food web. Results showed significantly different soil communities between treatments and higher microbial abundance for IB. Root decomposition occurred rapidly and was significantly greater for AB. Microbes and their nematode consumers immediately assimilated root litter C in both treatments. Root litter C was preferentially incorporated in a few groups of microbes and nematodes, but depended on burn treatment: fungi, Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and fungivore nematodes for AB and only omnivore nematodes for IB. The overall microbial pool of root-litter-derived C significantly increased over time but was not significantly different between burn treatments. The nematode pool of root-litter-derived C also significantly increased over time, and was significantly higher for the AB treatment at 35 and 90 days after litter addition. In conclusion, the C flow from root litter to microbes to nematodes is not only measurable but also significant, indicating that higher nematode trophic levels are critical components of C flow during root decomposition, which, in turn, is significantly affected by fire. Not only does fire affect the soil community and root decomposition, but the lower microbial abundance, greater root turnover, and the increased incorporation of root litter C by microbes and nematodes for AB suggests that annual burning increases root-litter-derived C flow through the soil food web of the tallgrass prairie.

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