河西走廊中部两种荒漠植物根系构型特征

在河西走廊中部,采用挖掘法挖取红砂和白刺根系,应用拓扑学与分形理论分析了根系构型的特征.结果表明: 2种荒漠植物根系的拓扑指数均较小,根系分支模式均近似为叉状分支结构.红砂和白刺根系具有较好的分形特征,其分形维数分别为(1.18±0.04)和(1.36±0.06);分形维数、分形丰度与根系平均连接长度均呈显著正相关.2种荒漠植物根系的平均连接长度均较大,以扩大植物的有效营养空间,从而适应干旱贫瘠的土壤环境.2种荒漠植物根系分支前的横截面积等于根系分支后的横截面积之和,验证了Leonardo da Vinci法则.对17个根系构型参数进行主成分分析,根系拓扑指数、根系连接数量、逐步分支率和根系直径4个根系构型参数能很好地表示2种荒漠植物根系构型特征.

Root architecture of two desert plants in central Hexi Corridor of Northwest China

In this study, the root systems of desert plant species Reaumuria soongorica and Nitraria tangutorum in the central Hexi Corridor of Northwest China were excavated by shovel, and the characteristics of the plant root architecture were analyzed by using topology and fractal theory. The root topological indices of the two desert plants were small, and the root branching patterns were herringbone like. The roots of the two desert plants had obvious fractal characteristics, with the fractal dimension of R. soongorica and N. tangutorum being (1.18±0.04) and (1.36±0.06), respectively. The root fractal dimension and fractal abundance were significantly positively correlated with the root average link length. The root average link lengths of the two plants were long, which enlarged the plants’ effective nutrition space, and thus, made the plants adapt to the dry and infertile soil environment. The sums of the root cross sectional areas before and after the root bifurcation of the two desert plants were equal, which verified the principle of Leonardo da Vinci. A total of 17 parameters of root architecture were analyzed by the principal component analysis. The parameters of root topological structure, numbers of root links, stepwise branching ratio, and root diameter could well present the root architecture characteristics of the two desert plants.