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Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs.

  • Freschet GT Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, 2, route du CNRS, 09200, Moulis, France.
  • Roumet C Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, 34293, Montpellier, France.
  • Comas LH USDA-ARS Water Management and Systems Research Unit, 2150 Centre Avenue, Bldg D, Suite 320, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA.
  • Weemstra M Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, 34293, Montpellier, France.
  • Bengough AG The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, UK.
  • Rewald B Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
  • Bardgett RD Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
  • De Deyn GB Soil Biology Group, Wageningen University, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
  • Johnson D Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
  • Klimešová J Department of Functional Ecology, Institute of Botany CAS, Dukelska 135, 37901, Trebon, Czech Republic.
  • Lukac M School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6EU, UK.
  • McCormack ML Center for Tree Science, Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rt. 53, Lisle, IL, 60532, USA.
  • Meier IC Plant Ecology, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
  • Pagès L INRAE, UR 1115 PSH,, Centre PACA, site Agroparc, 84914, Avignon cedex 9, France.
  • Poorter H Plant Sciences (IBG-2),, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425, Jülich, Germany.
  • Prieto I Departamento de Conservación de Suelos y Agua, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEBAS, -CSIC), 30100, Murcia, Spain.
  • Wurzburger N Odum School of Ecology, 140 E. Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA.
  • Zadworny M Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035, Kórnik, Poland.
  • Bagniewska-Zadworna A Department of General Botany, Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
  • Blancaflor EB Noble Research Institute, LLC, 2510, Sam Noble Parkway, Ardmore, Oklahoma, 73401, USA.
  • Brunner I Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
  • Gessler A Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
  • Hobbie SE Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108, USA.
  • Iversen CM Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
  • Mommer L Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, PO box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
  • Picon-Cochard C Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, UREP, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
  • Postma JA Plant Sciences (IBG-2),, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425, Jülich, Germany.
  • Rose L Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, 2, route du CNRS, 09200, Moulis, France.
  • Ryser P Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, P3E 2C6.
  • Scherer-Lorenzen M Geobotany,, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, 79104, Germany, Freiburg.
  • Soudzilovskaia NA Environmental Biology Department, Institute of Environmental Sciences, CML, Leiden University, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
  • Sun T Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China.
  • Valverde-Barrantes OJ Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
  • Weigelt A Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 21-23, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
  • York LM Noble Research Institute, LLC, 2510, Sam Noble Parkway, Ardmore, Oklahoma, 73401, USA.
  • Stokes A INRAE, AMAP, CIRAD, IRD, CNRS, University of Montpellier, 34000, Montpellier, France.
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  • 2020-11-07
Published in:
  • The New phytologist. - 2020
below-ground ecology
ecosystem properties and processes
environmental gradients
plant functions
root traits
spatial and temporal scales
trait causal relationships
trait covariation
English The effects of plants on the biosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere are key determinants of terrestrial ecosystem functioning. However, despite substantial progress made regarding plant belowground components, we are still only beginning to explore the complex relationships between root traits and functions. Drawing on literature in plant physiology, ecophysiology, ecology, agronomy and soil science, we review 24 aspects of plant and ecosystem functioning and their relationships with a number of traits of root systems, including aspects of architecture, physiology, morphology, anatomy, chemistry, biomechanics and biotic interactions. Based on this assessment, we critically evaluate the current strengths and gaps in our knowledge, and identify future research challenges in the field of root ecology. Most importantly, we found that below-ground traits with widest importance in plant and ecosystem functioning are not those most commonly measured. Also, the fair estimation of trait relative importance for functioning requires us to consider a more comprehensive range of functionally-relevant traits from a diverse range of species, across environments and over time series. We also advocate that establishing causal hierarchical links among root traits will provide a hypothesis-based framework to identify the most parsimonious sets of traits with strongest influence on the functions, and to link genotypes to plant and ecosystem functioning.
Language
  • English
Open access status
bronze
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https://sonar.ch/global/documents/295419
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