Root distribution and water uptake patterns of corn under surface and subsurface drip irrigation

Information on root distribution and uptake patterns is useful to better understand crop responses to irrigation and fertigation, especially with the limited wetted soil volumes which develop under drip irrigation. Plant water uptake patterns play an important role in the success of drip irrigation system design and management. Here the root systems of corn were characterized by their length density (RLD) and root water uptake (RWU). Comparisons were made between the spatial patterns of corn RWU and RLD under surface and subsurface drip irrigation in a silt loam soil, considering a drip line on a crop row and between crop rows. Water uptake distribution was measured with an array of TDR probes at high spatial and temporal resolution. Root length density was measured by sampling soil cores on a grid centered on crop row. Roots were separated and an estimation of root geometrical attributes was made using two different image analysis programs. Comparisons of these programs yielded nearly identical estimates of RLD. The spatial patterns of RWU and RLD distributions, respectively normalized to the total uptake and root length, were generally similar only for drip line on a crop row, but with some local variations between the two measures. Both RLD and RWU were adequately fitted with parametric models based on semi-lognormal and normal Gaussian bivariate density functions (Coelho and Or, 1996; Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 60, 1039–1049).     

Different distribution patterns of woody species on a slope in relation to vertical root distribution and dynamics of soil moisture profiles

Distribution patterns along a slope and vertical root distribution were compared among seven major woody species in a secondary forest of the warm-temperate zone in central Japan in relation to differences in soil moisture profiles through a growing season among different positions along the slope. Pinus densiflora, Juniperus rigida, Ilex pedunculosa and Lyonia ovalifolia, growing mostly on the upper part of the slope with shallow soil depth had shallower roots. Quercus serrata and Quercus glauca, occurring mostly on the lower slope with deep soil showed deeper rooting. Styrax japonica, mainly restricted to the foot slope, had shallower roots in spite of growing on the deepest soil. These relations can be explained by the soil moisture profile under drought at each position on the slope. On the upper part of the slope and the foot slope, deep rooting brings little advantage in water uptake from the soil due to the total drying of the soil and no period of drying even in the shallow soil, respectively. However, deep rooting is useful on the lower slope where only the deep soil layer keeps moist. This was supported by better diameter growth of a deep-rooting species on deeper soil sites than on shallower soil sites, although a shallow-rooting species showed little difference between them.     

Patterns in root traits of woody species hosting arbuscular and ectomycorrhizas: implications for the evolution of belowground strategies

Root traits vary enormously among plant species but we have little understanding of how this variation affects their functioning. Of central interest is how root traits are related to plant resource acquisition strategies from soil. We examined root traits of 33 woody species from northeastern US forests that form two of the most common types of mutualisms with fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) and ectomycorrhizas (EM). We examined root trait distribution with respect to plant phylogeny, quantifying the phylogenetic signal (K statistic) in fine root morphology and architecture, and used phylogenetically independent contrasts (PICs) to test whether taxa forming different mycorrhizal associations had different root traits. We found a pattern of species forming roots with thinner diameters as species diversified across time. Given moderate phylogenetic signals (K = 0.44–0.68), we used PICs to examine traits variation among taxa forming AM or EM, revealing that hosts of AM were associated with lower branching intensity (r_PIC = −0.77) and thicker root diameter (r_PIC = −0.41). Because EM evolved relatively more recently and intermittently across plant phylogenies, significant differences in root traits and colonization between plants forming AM and EM imply linkages between the evolution of these biotic interactions and root traits and suggest a history of selection pressures, with trade-offs for supporting different types of associations. Finally, across plant hosts of both EM and AM, species with thinner root diameters and longer specific root length (SRL) had less colonization (r_PIC = 0.85, −0.87), suggesting constraints on colonization linked to the evolution of root morphology.     

不同林龄胡杨克隆繁殖根系分布特征及其构型

以中龄林和成熟林胡杨为研究对象,采用挖剖面和根窗的方法,研究胡杨繁殖根系分布、根系构型,以及胡杨根蘖与繁殖根系构型之间的关系。结果表明:(1)细根(d<2 mm)的根长密度、根表面积密度,随深度增加呈现指数函数分布;(2)中龄林细根的根长密度、根表面积密度在0—90 cm各层都是显著大于成熟林的对应指标(P<0.05),成熟林的中等粗根(5 mm0.05),且两种林龄的一级侧根数、分枝角度亦无显著差异(P>0.05);(5)对比两种林龄不同根序上的根蘖芽发现,二级根上不定芽个数均是同组一级根上不定芽个数的3—4倍;基于以上对胡杨根系的功能权衡的分析,得出:细根对胡杨根系构型有重要的影响,在胡杨根系功能权衡中扮演重要角色。     

Comparison of APRI and Hydrus-2D models to simulate soil water dynamics in a vineyard under alternate partial root zone drip irrigation

Alternate partial root zone irrigation (APRI) is a new water-saving irrigation technique. It can reduce irrigation water and transpiration without reduction in crop yield, thus increase water and nutrient use efficiency. Understanding of soil moisture distribution and dynamic under the alternate partial root zone drip irrigation (APDI) can help to develop the efficient irrigation schemes. In this paper, a two-dimensional (2D) root water uptake model was proposed based on soil water dynamic and root distribution of grape vine, and a function of soil evaporation related to soil water content was defined under the APDI. Then the soil water dynamic model of APDI (APRI-model) was developed based on the 2D root water uptake model and soil evaporation function combined with average measured soil moisture content at 0–10 cm soil layer. Soil water dynamic in APDI was respectively simulated by Hydrus-2D model and APRI-model. The simulated soil water contents by two models were compared with the measured value. The results showed that the values of root-mean-square-error (RMSE) range from 0.01 to 0.022 cm³/cm³ for APRI-model, and from 0.012 to 0.031 cm³/cm³ for Hydrus-2D model. The average relative error between the simulated and measured soil water content is about 10% for APRI-model, and from 11% to 29% for Hydrus-2D model, indicating that two models perform well in simulating soil moisture dynamic under the APDI, but the APRI-model is more suitable for modeling the soil water dynamic in the arid region with greater soil evaporation and uneven root distribution.     

根域限制下水氮供应对膜下滴灌棉花根系及叶片衰老特性的影响

在新疆的气候生态条件下, 选用北疆2个棉花(Gossypium hirsutum)主栽品种‘新陆早13号’和‘新陆早33号’为供试材料, 设置限根(RR)与对照(CK)处理, 每个处理设置4个水氮水平: 水氮亏缺(W₀N₀)、水分亏缺(W₀N₁)、氮素亏缺(W₁N₀)与水氮适量(W₁N₁), 组成再裂区试验方案。采用管栽方法, 通过人工改变根系垂直生长深度和水氮供应, 在棉花产量形成期测定根系及叶片抗氧化保护酶系活性、生物量累积及分配等, 探讨根域限制及水氮供应对棉花根系生长及叶片衰老的影响机理。结果表明: 根域限制条件下, 棉花根系生物量、根系与叶片超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)与过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性、棉株总生物量、根冠比均低于对照, 而地上部生物量与籽棉产量显著高于对照。水氮供应能有效地调节根系及叶片的生长, 不同水氮处理间棉花根系与叶片抗氧化保护酶系活性、叶绿素含量、地上部生物量及籽棉产量均表现为W₁N₁ > W₀N₁ > W₁N₀ > W₀N₀, 根冠比与根系生物量的表现与之相反。根域限制与水氮供应表现出互作优势, 根域限制下适量水氮供应处理的地上部生物量与籽棉产量均明显高于其他处理, 根冠比较低。因此, 在棉花根系生长受限的条件下, 优化生育期间水氮供应, 可以增强根系及叶片的抗氧化保护酶系活性、增加光合产物向地上部的分配比例、增加产量, 是进一步挖掘膜下滴灌棉花增产潜力的有效途径。     

Fine root distribution of trees and understory in mature stands of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) on dry and humid sites

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) is the main tree cropping species in the Landes of Gascogne forest range in south western France. Soils are nutrient poor, sandy podzosols and site fertility is determined essentially by organic matter content and depth of water table, which is known to limit root growth. We hypothesised, with an ultimate goal of constructing a nutrient uptake model applicable to this region, that the organic top horizons together with the depth of the water table should be the most important parameters related to fine root distribution and presence of associated mycorrhiza. To test this hypothesis, we compared two adult Pinus pinaster stands, contrasting in depth of water table and soil fertility and evaluated fine roots (diameter ≤2 mm) of understory species and fine roots and ectomycorrhizal morphotypes of Pinus pinaster down to 1.2 m, using a soil corer approach. Total fine root biomass of Pinus pinaster was not significantly different between both sites (3.6 and 4.5 t ha⁻¹ for the humid, respectively, dry site), but root distribution was significantly shallower and root diameter increased more with depth at the humid site, presumably due to more adverse soil conditions as related to the presence of a hardpan, higher amount of aluminium oxides and / or anoxia. Fine roots of Pinus pinaster represented only about 30% of total fine root biomass and 15% of total fine root length, suggesting that the understory species cannot be ignored with regards to competition for mineral nutrients and water. A comparison of the ectomycorrhizal morphotypes showed that the humid site could be characterised by a very large proportion of contact exploration types, thought to be more relevant in accessing organic nutrient sources, whereas the dry site had a significantly higher proportion of both long-distance and short-distance exploration types, the latter of which was thought to be more resistant to short-term drought periods. These results partly confirm our hypothesis on root distribution as related to the presence of soil mineral nutrients (i.e. in organic matter), point out the potential role of understory plant species and ectomycorrhizal symbiosis and are a valuable step in building a site-specific nutrient uptake model.     

浙江省典型天然次生林主要树种空间分布格局及其关联性

松阔混交林和常绿阔叶林是亚热带地区天然次生林代表性的森林类型,通过研究主要树种分布变动趋势,可以有效地指导森林经营措施。在该地区4个1hm~2典型样地,在0—30m尺度范围内综合分析了主要树种的空间分布格局及种间关联性,并对同一树种分发育阶段在不同森林群落中的种群空间分布格局进行了比较,以探讨亚热带地区天然次生林群落空间格局形成和种群维持机制。样地1和2为松阔混交林,其中样地1的马尾松密度较低,样地3和4为常绿阔叶林。研究结果表明:(1)以完全随机模型为零假设时,样地1的主要种群在小尺度(10 m)呈聚集分布,随尺度增加呈随机分布;样地2—4的主要种群在所有尺度呈聚集分布,随尺度增加聚集强度逐渐减弱;以异质泊松模型为零假设时,4个样地的主要种群在大部分尺度呈随机分布;(2)青冈和苦槠的小树(5.0 cm≤DBH10.0 cm)在4样地的所有尺度以聚集分布为主,大树(DBH≥10.0 cm)在松阔混交林样地呈随机分布趋势,但在常绿阔叶林样地青冈在0—20 m尺度、苦槠在所有尺度呈聚集分布;(3)松阔混交林中建群种马尾松和其他树种的种间关联性,在样地1的小尺度为负相关,随尺度增加为不相关,在样地2的所有尺度为负相关;常绿阔叶林中建群种青冈和其他树种的种间关联性在在样地3的小尺度为负相关,随尺度增加为不相关,在样地4的所有尺度为负相关;所有伴生树种的种间关联性以负相关为主。结果说明,种群空间分布格局及其关联性随群落结构和空间尺度的不同而出现变化,在松阔混交林和常绿阔叶林群落格局形成中除了扩散限制和生境异质性以外,密度制约机制在松阔混交林中发挥了重要作用,而在常绿阔叶林中其作用随着树木生活史阶段的提高而减弱。     

Fine root responses to temporal nutrient heterogeneity and competition in seedlings of two tree species with different rooting strategies

There is little direct evidence for effects of soil heterogeneity and root plasticity on the competitive interactions among plants. In this study, we experimentally examined the impacts of temporal nutrient heterogeneity on root growth and interactions between two plant species with very different rooting strategies: Liquidambar styraciflua (sweet gum), which shows high root plasticity in response to soil nutrient heterogeneity, and Pinus taeda (loblolly pine), a species with less plastic roots. Seedlings of the two species were grown in sandboxes in inter‐ and intraspecific combinations. Nutrients were applied in a patch either in a stable (slow‐release) or in a variable (pulse) manner. Plant aboveground biomass, fine root mass, root allocation between nutrient patch and outside the patch, and root vertical distribution were measured. L. styraciflua grew more aboveground (40% and 27% in stable and variable nutrient treatment, respectively) and fine roots (41% and 8% in stable and variable nutrient treatment, respectively) when competing with P. taeda than when competing with a conspecific individual, but the growth of P. taeda was not changed by competition from L. styraciflua. Temporal variation in patch nutrient level had little effect on the species’ competitive interactions. The more flexible L. styraciflua changed its vertical distribution of fine roots in response to competition from P. taeda, growing more roots in deeper soil layers compared to its roots in conspecific competition, leading to niche differentiation between the species, while the fine root distribution of P. taeda remained unchanged across all treatments. Synthesis. L. styraciflua showed greater flexibility in root growth by changing its root vertical distribution and occupying space of not occupied by P. taeda. This flexibility gave L. styraciflua an advantage in interspecific competition.     

毛乌素沙地臭柏（Sabina vulgaris）和油蒿（Artemisia ordosica）群落的细根分布特征

用根钻法和细根分级的方法研究了毛乌素沙地臭柏群落、臭柏灌丛、油蒿群落的细根(D≤2 mm, D为根直径)垂直分布,并用渐近线方程Y=1-βd[Y为从地表到一定深度的根量百分比累积值(0～1),d表示土层深度(cm),β为根系削弱系数]描述根系分布与土壤深度的关系.对不同径级臭柏、油蒿细根的β值、根长密度及根面积指数进行计算,结果表明:以15 cm为取样深度级,臭柏和油蒿群落活细根(D≤2 mm)的各月生物量平均值,在0～15 cm 范围内最大,并且随土壤深度增加而减少.臭柏群落、臭柏灌丛、油蒿群落细根生物量垂直分布的β值差异不显著(P＞0.5),但相应层次上的月平均细根生物量,臭柏群落是油蒿群落的6.7～14.6倍(P＜0.05),臭柏灌丛是油蒿群落的14.0～19.2倍(P＜0.05).D≤1 mm与1 mm＜D≤2 mm的细根重量百分比与土壤深度都呈对数关系,但D≤1 mm的细根与土壤深度的相关程度更高.根长密度与根面积指数在各土层的分布有极大的相似性.在臭柏群落、臭柏灌丛、油蒿群落中,D≤2 mm的细根根长密度和根面积指数随土壤深度的增加而减小.月平均值中, D≤2 mm、D≤1 mm、1 mm＜D≤2 mm的细根在0～90 cm的根面积指数总和的大小都是:臭柏灌丛＞臭柏群落＞油蒿群落.     

Variability of water supply affected shoot biomass and root depth distribution of four temperate grassland species in monocultures and mixtures

极端降雨事件对生态系统功能影响的研究主要集中在干旱或洪水事件,通常包括全年或某个季度的平均或总降雨量的变化。然而,在不改变平均量或总量的情况下,增加降雨变异性的影响还很少被研究。本研究调查了增加水分供应变异性对单一栽培和混合栽培下4种草原植物的地上和根系生物量以及根系生物量分布的影响。将多年生黑麦草(Lolium perenne L., 浅根),菊苣(Cichorium intybus L., 深根),白车轴草(Trifolium repens L., 浅根)和红车轴草(Trifolium pratense L., 深根)种植在中型实验生态系统中。单一栽培条件下种植4株同种植物,混合栽 培条件下每种植物各1株。水分供应变异性处理设置低中高3种水平：与低变异水分供应处理相比,另设置一个中度变异处理(±40%)和高度变 异处理(±80%),测定了地上和根的生物量,拟合了根系垂直分布模型。研究结果表明,与低变异处理相比,白车轴草,红车轴草和4种植物 混种群落的茎生物量在高变异处理下显著减少。在所有处理中,4种植物混种群落产生的茎和根生物量比单一栽培(超产)中物种表现所预测的要多。在水分变异增加的情况下,菊苣在单一栽培下根系分配了更多的生物量到更深的土层,而白车轴草在单一栽培下根系总生物量显著降 低。这些结果表明,水分供应变异的增加会对单一栽培和混合栽培草地的地上和根的生物量产生负面影响。在野外尺度上,水分变异对多物种 草地系统功能的影响需要进一步研究。     

秦岭皇冠优势灌木苦糖果的空间分布格局及种内种间关联

以秦岭皇冠暖温性落叶阔叶林25 hm²森林样地中的优势灌木苦糖果为对象,研究了苦糖果不同径级个体的空间分布格局以及种内种间关系。结果表明: 苦糖果径级结构呈现出下宽上窄的金字塔型,小径级植株数量最多,更新状态较好,处于稳定增长阶段,有利于群落更新和演替。以Ripley's K函数为基础,采用单变量和双变量成对相关函数,在3个零模型(完全空间随机模型、异质泊松模型和先决条件模型)的处理下,树种整体和不同径级以聚集分布为主,且聚集程度随研究尺度的加大而逐渐减小,逐渐趋向随机分布。受到生境异质性、扩散限制、负密度制约等影响,种内不同径级个体之间以正关联为主,但也有一定程度的无关联,未出现负关联的情况。种间关系较为复杂,既有无关联,也有正关联和负关联,但以负关联和无关联为主。     

干旱区膜下滴灌条件下土壤深层水对棉花根系生长、分布及产量的影响

在土柱栽培条件下研究膜下滴灌土壤深层水对棉花根系生长的影响及与植株地上部生长的关系,设置土壤(60～120 cm)有深层水和无深层水2个处理,每处理设2个生育期间灌溉处理,分别为田间持水量70%和55%.结果表明：棉花总根质量密度、40～120 cm土层根长密度、根系活力等与地上部干质量间均具有显著的相关关系.生育期间耕层70%田间持水量条件下,土壤有深层水处理的总根质量密度与无深层水处理无明显差异,但40～120 cm土层的根长密度增加,根系活力增强,提高了土壤贮备水消耗量,增加了地上部干质量,最终获得较高的经济产量及水分利用效率.土壤有深层水条件下,生育期间耕层55%田间持水量处理的根冠比较大,40～120 cm土层根长密度和80～120 cm土层根系活力相对较高,土壤贮备水消耗量大幅提高,但仍无法弥补生育期间水分亏缺对根系及地上部生物量造成的负面影响,导致经济产量显著低于70%田间持水量处理.综上,充足的土壤深层水配合生育期间耕层65%～75%田间持水量,可促进棉花根系向下生长,有利于实现膜下滴灌棉花节水高产高效生产.