Similar articles

Abstract: Representative pioneer tree root systems in the subtropical area of South china were examined with regard to their structure, underground stratification and biomass distribution. Excavation of skeleton roots and observation of fine roots of seven species including the Euphorbiaceae, Theaceae, Melastomataceae, Lauraceae and Fagaceae families was carried out. The results showed that: (1) pioneer tree roots in the first stage of natural succession were of two types, one characterized by taproot system with bulky plagiotropic branches; the other characterized by flat root system with several tabular roots. The late mesophilous tree roots were characterized by one obvious taproot and tactic braches roots up and down. Shrub species roots were characterized by heart fibrous root type featured both by horizontally and transversally growing branches. Root shapes varied in different dominant species at different stages of succession. (2) Roots of the different species varied in the external features—color, periderm and structure of freshly cut slash. (3) In a set of successional stages the biomass of tree roots increased linearly with the age of growth. During monsoon, the total root biomass amounted to 115.70 t/ha in the evergreen broad-leaved forest; 50.61 t/ha in needle and broad-leaved mixed forest dominated by coniferous forest; and 64.20 t/ha in broad-and needle-leaved mixed forest dominated by broad-leaved heliophytes, and are comparable to the underground biomass observed in similar tropical forests. This is the first report about roots characteristics of forest in the lower sub-tropical area of dinghushan, Guangdong, china.

[1] Böhm, W., 1979. Methods of Studying Root Systems. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg, New York.

[2] Cairns, M.A., Brown, S., Helmer, E.H., Baumgarder, G.A., 1997. Root biomass allocation in the world’s upland forests. Oecologia, 111(1):1-11.

[3] Canadell, J., Jackson, R.B., Ehleringer, J.R., Mooney, H.A., Sala, O.E., Schulze, E.D., 1996. Maximum rooting depth of vegetation types at the global scale. Oecologia, 108(4):583-595.

[4] Chen, Z.H., 1991. Studies on Biomass and Production of the South Subtropical Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest in Heishiding Nature Reserve. Doctorate Thesis, Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen) University, Guangzhou.

[5] Cody, M.L., 1986. Roots in plant ecology. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 1(3):76-78.

[6] De Simone, O., Junk, W.J., Schmidt, W., 2003. Central amazon floodplain forests: root adaptations to prolonged flooding. Russian Journal of Plant Physiology, 50(6):848-855.

[7] Du, X.J., Liu, C.F., Jin, G., Shi, X.N., 1998. Root biomass of main forest ecosystems in Changbai Mountain. J. of Shenyang Agricultural University, 29(3):229-232 (in Chinese).

[8] Fang, Y.T., Mo, J.M., Brown, S., Zhou, G.Y., Zhang, Q.M., Li, D.J., 2004. Storage and distribution of soil organic carbon in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 24(1):135-142.

[9] Gale, M.R., Grigal, D.F., 1987. Vertical root distribution of northern tree species in relation to successional status. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 17:829-834.

[10] Gill, R.A., Jackson, R.B., 2000. Global patterns of root turnover for terrestrial ecosystems. New Phytologist, 147(1):3-12.

[11] Golley, F.B., McGinnis, J.T., Clements, R.C., Child, G.I., Duever, M.J., 1975. Mineral Cycling in a Tropical Moist Forest. University of Georgia Press, Athens, GA.

[12] He, J.H., Chen, Z.Q., Liang, Y.E., 1982. Soil of Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve. Trop. Subtrop. For. Ecosys., 1(1):25-38 (in Chinese).

[13] Huang, Z.L., Kong, G.H., Wei, P., 1998. Plant species diversity dynamics in Dinghushan Mountain forests. Chinese Biodiversity, 6(2):116-121 (in Chinese).

[14] Jackson, R.B., Canadell, J., Ehleringer, J.R., Mooney, H.A., Sala, O.E., Schulze, E.D., 1996. A global analysis of root distribution for terrestrial biomes. Oecologia, 108(3):389-411.

[15] Jordan, C.F., Escalante, G., 1980. Root productivity in an Amazonian rain forest. Ecology, 61:14-18.

[16] Klinge, H., 1973a. Root mass estimation in lowland rain forests of Central Amazonia. Brazil. 1. Fine root masses of a pale yellow latosol and gianty humus podzol. Trop. Ecol., 14:29-38.

[17] Klinge, H., 1973b. Root mass estimation in lowland rain forests of Central Amazonia. Brazil. 2. “Coarse root mass” of trees and palms in different height classes. An. Acad. Brasil. Cienc., 45:595-609.

[18] Klinge, H., 1976. Root mass estimation in lowland rain forests of Central Amazonia. Brazil. 3. Nutrients in fine roots from latosols. Trop. Ecol., 17:79-88.

[19] Kong, G.H., Huang, Z.L., Zhang, Q.M., Liu, S.Z., Mo, J.M., He, D.Q., 1997. Type, structure, dynamics and management of the lower subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in the Dinghushan Bioshere Reserve of China. Tropics., 6(4):335-350.

[20] Leuschner, C., Hertel, D., Schmid, I., Koch, O., Muhs, A., Hölscher, D., 2004. Stand fine root biomass and fine root morphology in old-growth beech forests as a function of precipitation and soil fertility. Plant and Soil, 258(1):43-56.

[21] Liao, L.Y., Ding, M.M., Zhang, Z.P., Yi, W.M., Guo, G.Z., Huang, Z.L., 1993. Root biomass and its nitrogen dynamic of some communities in Dinghushan. Acta Phytoecologica et Geobotanica Sinica, 17(1):56-60 (in Chinese).

[22] Lin, P., Lu, C.Y., Wang, G.L., Chen, H.X., 1990. Biomass and productivity of Bruguiera sexangula mangrove forest in Hainan island, China. Journal of Xiamen University (Natural Science), 29(2):209-213 (in Chinese).

[23] Martínez-Sánchez, J.J., Ferrandis, P., Trabaud, L., 2003. Comparative root system structure of post-fire Pinus halepensis Mill. and Cistus monspeliensis L. saplings. Plant Ecology, 168:302-309.

[24] Midgley, S.J., Pinyopusarerk, K., 1996. The Role of Eucalypts in Local Development in the Emerging Economies of China, Vietnam and Thailand. In: Eldridge, K.G., Crowe, M.P., Old, K.M. (Eds.), Environmental Management: The Role of Eucalypts and Other Fast Growing Species. Proceedings of the Joint Australian-Japanese Workshop, CSIRO, Canberra, p.4-10.

[25] Misra, R.K., Gibbons, A.K., 1996. Growth and morphology of eucalypt seedling-roots, in relation to soil strength arising from compaction. Plant and Soil, 182(1):1-11.

[26] Mo, J.M., Brown, S., Peng, S.L., Kong, G.H., 2003. Nitrogen availability in disturbed, rehabilitated and mature forests of tropical China. Forest Ecology and Management, 175(1-3):573-583.

[27] Norby, R.J., Jackson, R.B., 2000. Root dynamics and global change: seeking an ecosystem perspective. New Phytologist, 147(1):13-31.

[28] Ogawa, H., Yoda, K., Kora, T., 1961. A preliminary survey of the vegetation of Thailand. Nat. Life Southeast Asia (Kyoto), 5:49-80.

[29] Oldeman, R.A.A., 1990. Forest: Elements of Silvology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg, New York.

[30] Pavlis, J., Jenίk, J., 2000. Roots of pioneer trees in the Amazonian rain forest. Trees, 14(8):442-455.

[31] Peng, S.L., 1996. Dynamics of Communities in Lower Subtropical Forest. Science Press, Beijing.

[32] Peng, S.L., Wang, B.S., 1985. Analysis on the forest community in Dinnghushan. VI. Unlinear successional system. Tropical and Subtropical Forest Ecosystem, (3):25-31 (in Chinese).

[33] Peng, S.L., Wang, B.S., 1995. Forest Succession at Dinghushan, Guangdong, China. Chinese Journal of Botany, 7(1):75-80 (in Chinese).

[34] Peng, S.L., Zhang, Z.P., 1995. Biomass, productivity and energy use efficiency of climax vegetation on Dinghu Mountains, Guangdong, China. Science in China (Series B), 38(1):67-73 (in Chinese).

[35] Peng, S.L., Fang, W., Ren, H., Huang, Z.L., Kong, G.H., Yu, Q.F., Zhang, D.Q., 1998. The dynamics on organization in the successional process of Dinghushan cryptocarya community. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica, 22(3):245-249.

[36] Romero, A.E., Ryder, J., Fisher, J.T., 1986. Root system modification of container stock for arid land plantings. Forest Ecology and Management, 16(1-4):281-290.

[37] Sanford, R.L., 1989. Root systems of three adjacent, old growth Amazon forests and associated transition zones. J. Trop. Res., 1:268-279.

[38] Sanford, R.L., Cuevas, E., 1996. Root Growth and Rhizosphere Interactions in Tropical Forest. In: Mulkey, S.S., Chazdon, R.L., Smith, A.P. (Eds.), Tropical Forest Plant Ecophysiology. Thomson, New York, p.269-300.

[39] Schenk, H.J., Jackson, R., 2002. The global biogeography of roots. Ecological Monographs, 72(3):311-328.

[40] Sutton, R.F., Tinus, R.W., 1983. Root and Root System Terminology. Society of American Foresters, Washington, D.C.

[41] Vercambre, G., Pagès, L., Doussan, C., Habib, R., 2003. Architectural analysis and synthesis of the plum tree root system in an orchard using a quantitative modelling approach. Plant and Soil, 251(1):1-11.

[42] Vogt, K.A., Vogt, D.J., Palmiotto, P.A., Boon, P., O’Hara, J., Asbjornsen, H., 1996. Review of root dynamics in forest ecosystems grouped by climate, climatic forest type and species. Plant and Soil, 187(2):159-219.

[43] Wang, B.S., Peng, S.L., 1985. Analysis on the forest community in Dinnghushan. V. Linear successional system. Acta Sci. Univ. Sun-yatseni., 15(1):31-38 (in Chinese).

[44] Wang, B.S., Peng, S.L., 1986. Analysis on the forest community in Dinnghushan. X. Boundary effect. Acta Sci. Univ. Sun-yatseni, 4:52-56 (in Chinese).

[45] Wen, D.Z., Wei, P., Kong, G.H., Ye, W.H., 1999. Production and turnover rate of fine roots in two lower subtropical forest sites at Dinghushan. Acta Phytoecological Sinica, 23(4):361-369 (in Chinese).

[46] Yang, L.Y., Li, W.H., 2003. The underground root biomass and C storage in different forest ecosystems of Changbai Mountains in China. Journal of Natural Resources, 18(2):204-209 (in Chinese).

[47] Yu, Z.Y., 1994. Rehabilitation of eroded tropical coastal land in Guangdong, China. J. Trop. For. Sci., 7:28-38.

[48] Yu, Z.Y., 1995. Ecology of the rehabilitation of vegetation on tropical coastal eroded land in Guangdong, China. J. Environ. Sci., 7:74-84.

[49] Zhang, H.D., Wang, B.S., Zhang, S.C., Qi, H.C., 1955. Studies on plant communities of Dinghushan, Guangdong. Acta Sci. Univ. Sunyatseni., 1(3):1-56 (in Chinese).