Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs
New Phytologist, vol. 232, pp. 1123–1158
Abstract
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 the literature in plant physiology, ecophysiology, ecology, agronomy and soil science, we reviewed 24 aspects of plant and ecosystem functioning and their relationships with a number of root system traits, including aspects of architecture, physiology, morphology, anatomy, chemistry, biomechanics and biotic interactions. Based on this assessment, we critically evaluated the current strengths and gaps in our knowledge, and identify future research challenges in the field of root ecology. Most importantly, we found that belowground traits with the broadest importance in plant and ecosystem functioning are not those most commonly measured. Also, the 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 the strongest links on functions, and to link genotypes to plant and ecosystem functioning.
Authors 34
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Grégoire T. Freschet corresponding
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · École Pratique des Hautes Études · Université de Montpellier · Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier · Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive · Station d’Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale · Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Affiliation as printed
Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier 34293 France
Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale CNRS 2 route du CNRS Moulis 09200 France
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · École Pratique des Hautes Études · Université de Montpellier · Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier · Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive · Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Affiliation as printed
Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier 34293 France
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Affiliation as printed
USDA‐ARS Water Management and Systems Research Unit 2150 Centre Avenue, Bldg D, Suite 320 Fort Collins CO 80526 USA
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · École Pratique des Hautes Études · Université de Montpellier · Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier · Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive · Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Affiliation as printed
Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier 34293 France
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James Hutton Institute · University of Dundee
Affiliation as printed
School of Science and Engineering University of Dundee Dundee DD1 4HN UK
The James Hutton Institute Invergowrie Dundee DD2 5DA UK
The James Hutton Institute (Craigiebuckler Aberdeen AB15 8QH Scotland - United Kingdom)
University of Dundee (University of Dundee Nethergate Dundee Scotland, UK DD1 4HN - United Kingdom)
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna 1190 Austria
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Manchester Manchester M13 9PT UK
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Wageningen University & Research
Affiliation as printed
Soil Biology Group Wageningen University Wageningen 6700 AA the Netherlands
WUR - Wageningen University and Research [Wageningen] (Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 PB Wageningen - Netherlands)
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Manchester Manchester M13 9PT UK
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Czech Academy of Sciences · Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany
Affiliation as printed
Department of Functional Ecology Institute of Botany CAS Dukelska 135 Trebon 37901 Czech Republic
IB / CAS - Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelskaa 135, 379 82 Trebon, Czech Republic - Czech Republic)
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Czech University of Life Sciences Prague · University of Reading
Affiliation as printed
Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Prague 165 00 Czech Republic
School of Agriculture, Policy and Development University of Reading Reading RG6 6EU UK
UOR - University of Reading (Whiteknights, PO Box 217, READING, Berkshire, RG6 6AH, - United Kingdom)
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Affiliation as printed
Center for Tree Science Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rt. 53 Lisle IL 60532 USA
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Universität Hamburg · HAW Hamburg · University of Göttingen
Affiliation as printed
Functional Forest Ecology University of Hamburg Haidkrugsweg 1 Barsbüttel 22885 Germany
Plant Ecology University of Goettingen Untere Karspüle 2 Göttingen 37073 Germany
Hamburg University of Applied Sciences [Hamburg] (Berliner Tor 5 20099 Hamburg - Germany)
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Plantes et systèmes de culture horticoles · Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement
Affiliation as printed
UR 1115 PSH Centre PACA site Agroparc INRAE Avignon Cedex 9 84914 France
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Macquarie University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University North Ryde NSW 2109 Australia
Plant Sciences (IBG‐2) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Jülich D‐52425 Germany
Macquarie University (Balaclava Road, North Ryde , NSW, 2109, Australia - Australia)
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Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura
Affiliation as printed
Departamento de Conservación de Suelos y Agua Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEBAS‐CSIC) Murcia 30100 Spain
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Affiliation as printed
Odum School of Ecology University of Georgia 140 E. Green Street Athens GA 30602 USA
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Institute of Dendrology · Polish Academy of Sciences
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Dendrology Polish Academy of Sciences Parkowa 5 Kórnik 62‐035 Poland
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Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
Affiliation as printed
Department of General Botany Institute of Experimental Biology Faculty of Biology Adam Mickiewicz University Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6 Poznań 61‐614 Poland
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Affiliation as printed
Noble Research Institute, LLC 2510 Sam Noble Parkway Ardmore OK 73401 USA
Noble Research Institute (2510 Sam Noble Parkway, Ardmore - United States)
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Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
Affiliation as printed
Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL Zürcherstr. 111 Birmensdorf 8903 Switzerland
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Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research · ETH Zurich · Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems
Affiliation as printed
Forest Dynamics Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL Zürcherstr. 111 Birmensdorf 8903 Switzerland
Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems ETH Zurich Zurich 8092 Switzerland
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University of Minnesota · University of Minnesota System
Affiliation as printed
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior University of Minnesota St Paul MN 55108 USA
Department of Anthropology [University of Minnesota] (395 Humphrey Center 301 19th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55455 - United States)
UMN - University of Minnesota System (United States)
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Affiliation as printed
Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge TN 37831 USA
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Wageningen University & Research
Affiliation as printed
Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group Department of Environmental Sciences Wageningen University and Research PO box 47 Wageningen 6700 AA the Netherlands
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Université Clermont Auvergne · Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement
Affiliation as printed
Université Clermont Auvergne INRAE UREP Clermont‐Ferrand 63000 France
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Affiliation as printed
Plant Sciences (IBG‐2) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Jülich D‐52425 Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Geobotany Faculty of Biology University of Freiburg Schänzlestr. 1 Freiburg 79104 Germany
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Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia Aachen Environmental Biology Department Institute of Environmental Sciences CML
Affiliation as printed
Environmental Biology Department Institute of Environmental Sciences CML, Leiden University Leiden 2333 CC the Netherlands
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Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Applied Ecology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang 110016 China
CAS - Chinese Academy of Sciences [Beijing] (52 Sanlihe Rd., Beijing, 100864 - China)
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Florida International University
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Environment Department of Biological Sciences Florida International University Miami FL 33199 USA
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Affiliation as printed
Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity Institute of Biology Leipzig University Johannisallee 21‐23 Leipzig 04103 Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Noble Research Institute, LLC 2510 Sam Noble Parkway Ardmore OK 73401 USA
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement · Université de Montpellier · Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement · UMR Botanique et Modélisation de l’Architecture des Plantes et des végétations · Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Affiliation as printed
INRA, AMAP, CIRAD, IRD, CNRS, University of Montpellier Montpellier 34000 France
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