Influence of root growth of two pioneering plant species on soil development during the initial stage of ecosystem genesis in the Lusatian post mining landscape

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Boldt ◽  
Bernd Uwe Schneider ◽  
Simone Fritsch ◽  
Reinhard F. Hüttl

Boldt, K., Schneider, B. U., Fritsch, S. and Hüttl, R. F. 2012. Influence of root growth of two pioneering plant species on soil development during the initial stage of ecosystem genesis in the Lusatian post mining landscape. Can. J. Soil Sci. 92: 67–76. To characterize the role of root growth of Lotus corniculatus L. (bird's-foot trefoil) and Calamagrostis epigeios L. Roth (chee reed grass) in soil development during the initial stage of ecosystem genesis, the root systems of these plant species growing in soils from quaternary calcareous sediments were studied. The spatial distribution pattern of root systems varied considerably. Both plant species contributed to the accumulation of organic carbon in the bulk soil, although the highest concentrations were from the legume L. corniculatus. Total nitrogen concentration in the bulk soil was not affected, but increased in the rhizosphere soil of both plant species. There were clear indications that both plant species contributed to homogenizing phosphorus distribution, resulting in phosphorus depletion of those soil compartments where root proliferation was highest. Pronounced differences were detected between plant species, which led to the conclusion that the homogenizing effect caused by one species on a plot level may be overridden by the heterogeneity of patches composed of different plant species at the ecosystem level. All considered components suggest that the development of root systems of herbaceous pioneer plant species provides significant contributions to land reclamation in a natural way.

2021 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Dantas Lopes ◽  
Jingjie Hao ◽  
Daniel P Schachtman

ABSTRACT Soil pH is a major factor shaping bulk soil microbial communities. However, it is unclear whether the belowground microbial habitats shaped by plants (e.g. rhizosphere and root endosphere) are also affected by soil pH. We investigated this question by comparing the microbial communities associated with plants growing in neutral and strongly alkaline soils in the Sandhills, which is the largest sand dune complex in the northern hemisphere. Bulk soil, rhizosphere and root endosphere DNA were extracted from multiple plant species and analyzed using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Results showed that rhizosphere, root endosphere and bulk soil microbiomes were different in the contrasting soil pH ranges. The strongest impact of plant species on the belowground microbiomes was in alkaline soils, suggesting a greater selective effect under alkali stress. Evaluation of soil chemical components showed that in addition to soil pH, cation exchange capacity also had a strong impact on shaping bulk soil microbial communities. This study extends our knowledge regarding the importance of pH to microbial ecology showing that root endosphere and rhizosphere microbial communities were also influenced by this soil component, and highlights the important role that plants play particularly in shaping the belowground microbiomes in alkaline soils.


1975 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh E. Wilcox ◽  
Ruth Ganmore-Neumann

Seedlings of Pinusresinosa were grown at root temperatures of 16, 21 and 27 °C, both aseptically and after inoculation with the ectendomycorrhizal fungus BDG-58. Growth after 3 months was significantly influenced by the presence of the fungus at all 3 temperatures. The influence of the fungus on root growth was obscured by the effects of root temperature on morphology. The root system at 16 and at 21 °C possessed many first-order laterals with numerous, well developed second-order branches, but those at 27 °C had only a few, relatively long, unbranched first-order laterals. Although the root systems of infected seedlings were larger, the fungus increased root growth in the same pattern as determined by the temperature.


1976 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gupta ◽  
M. C. Saxena

SummaryLeaf samples were collected, at weekly intervals, throughout the growing season, from potato (Solanum tuberosumL.) plants supplied with varying amounts of nitrogen (0, 60, 120, 180 and 240 kg N/ha) and analysed for total N. Application of nitrogen increased the N concentration in the green leaves at all stages of growth. There was a significant curvilinear relationship between the final tuber yield and the total N concentration in the leaves at 48–90 days after planting in 1968–9 and at 79–107 days after planting in 1969–70. The N concentration at 70–90 days after planting was consistently related to the final tuber yield in both years. Thus this period was ideal for assessing the nitrogen status of potato plants. The critical concentration of total nitrogen generally decreased with advance in age. It ranged from 4·65% at 76 days to 3·30% at 90 days during 1968–9, whereas in 1969–70 it ranged from 4·20% at 79 days to 3·80% at 93 days. During the period from 83 to 86 days the critical percentage was around 3·6% in both the years.


2010 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 149-159
Author(s):  
Susan Day ◽  
P. Eric Wiseman ◽  
Sarah Dickinson ◽  
J. Roger Harris

Knowledge of the extent and distribution of tree root systems is essential for managing trees in the built environment. Despite recent advances in root detection tools, published research on tree root architecture in urban settings has been limited and only partially synthesized. Root growth patterns of urban trees may differ considerably from similar species in forested or agricultural environments. This paper reviews literature documenting tree root growth in urban settings as well as literature addressing root architecture in nonurban settings that may contribute to present understanding of tree roots in built environments. Although tree species may have the genetic potential for generating deep root systems (>2 m), rooting depth in urban situations is frequently restricted by impenetrable or inhospitable soil layers or by underground infrastructure. Lateral root extent is likewise subject to restriction by dense soils under hardscape or by absence of irrigation in dry areas. By combining results of numerous studies, the authors of this paper estimated the radius of an unrestricted root system initially increases at a rate of approximately 38 to 1, compared to trunk diameter; however, this ratio likely considerably declines as trees mature. Roots are often irregularly distributed around the tree and may be influenced by cardinal direction, terrain, tree lean, or obstacles in the built environment. Buttress roots, tap roots, and other root types are also discussed.


1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 367-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liangxue Liu ◽  
Barry J. Shelp

In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that continuous chloride treatment decreases nitrate absorption and accumulation by broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) plants. In a field experiment, both fresh and dry weights of shoot and inflorescence increased linearly with increasing nitrogen applied (70–130 kg ha−1). Chloride application (0–450 kg ha−1) did not significantly affect the final yield. In a greenhouse experiment in which the plants were grown in soilless culture and supplied with 10–18 mmol L−1 nitrate, only the fresh weights of shoot and inflorescence decreased linearly with increasing chloride application (0–45 mmol L−1). In both experiments, increasing chloride application slightly decreased the concentrations of nitrate nitrogen and total nitrogen in xylem sap, and increased the chloride concentrations of both xylem sap and phloem exudate and the total-nitrogen concentration of phloem exudate. The shoot-nitrate contents increased with increasing nitrogen application and decreased with increasing chloride application, whereas the shoot-chloride contents increased with increasing chloride application and decreased with increasing nitrate application. The total-nitrogen contents of the shoot were not affected by chloride application. These data are interpreted to suggest that nitrate absorption was not inhibited by the presence of chloride in the growing medium and that the decrease in nitrate accumulation of the shoot resulted from the stimulation of organic-nitrogen formation from absorbed nitrate. Key words: Antagonism, broccoli, chloride, interaction, nitrate


2011 ◽  
Vol 374-377 ◽  
pp. 498-503
Author(s):  
Jin Lan Xu ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Jun Chen Kang ◽  
Ting Lin Huang ◽  
Yu Hua Dong

Abstract: Active barrier system (ABS) capping zeolite with large surface area and strong adsorption ability is an effective way to control eutrophication of lake since it can remove ammonia in the lake released by sediment. Influence of the initial nitrogen concentration on eliminating nitrogen load of europhia sediment capping with active barrier system (ABS) were studied through an investigation of the repairment results of serious pollution period (total nitrogen concentration up to 25.33 mg/L), moderate pollution period (14.39 mg/L) and the slight pollution period (3.47 mg/L) of the ancient Canal of Yangzhou. The results showed that: (1) zeolite F1 inhibition effect is stronger than zeolite F2. More TN were removed as the initial TN concentration increased and longer rapid inhibit period were presented with the increased initial TN concentration. (2) The ammonia nitrogen in sediment could be rapidly released into the overlying water, and with lower initial TN concentration in source water, more ammonia would be released from the sediment. Long time treatment was necessary to inhibit the release of ammonia completely if the water showed a high initial TN concentration. (3) After covering zeolite, the total nitrogen in the overlying water were removed mainly through nitrification and denitrification. At the initial TN concentration of 3.47 mg/L, 14.39 mg/L, 25.88 mg/L, 61%, 45% and 52% of TN were removed by the conversion of ammonia to nitrogen gas, however, others left in water as nitrate nitrogen and nitrite residues, and 90% was nitrate nitrogen.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document