ACTA PHYTOGEOGRAPHICA SUECICA 81 EDIDIT SVENSKA VAXTGEOGRAFISKA SALLSKAPET

H.

Persson & 1.0. Baitulin (eds.)

Plant root systems and natural vegetation

UPPSALA 1996

ACTA PHYTOGEOGRAPHICA SUECICA 81 EDIDIT SVENSKA VAxTGEOGRAFISKA SALLSKAPET

H.

Persson & 1.0. Baitulin (eds.)

Plant root systems and natural vegetation

OPULUS PRESS AB UPPSALA 1996

ISBN 91-7210-081-8 (paperback) ISBN 91-7210-481-3 (cloth) ISSN 0084-5914

Editor:

Erik Sjogren H. Persson & 1.0. Baitulin

Guest Editors:

Editorial Board:

A.W.H. Damman, Storrs, CT F.J.A. Daniels, MUnster L. Ericson, Umea D. Glenn-Lewin, Ames, lA 0. Hamann, Copenhagen H. Sjors, Uppsala H. Trass, Tartu Technical Editor: Marijke van der Maarel-Versluys

© Respective author 1996

Cover illustration: Halaxylon ammodendron, after 1.0. Baitulin

Edidit: Svenska Vaxtgeografiska Sallskapet Villavagen 14, S-752 36 Uppsala DTP: Opulus Press AB Printed in Sweden, 1996 by Eklundshof Grafiska AB, Uppsala

Acta Phytogeogr. Suec. 81

Contents 5

Introduction

I

Introductory papers 7

Root research in natural plant communities of Kazakhstan. By !sa 0. Baitulin. Growth strategies of plant roots in different climatic regions. By Lore Kutschera-Mitter.

11

Fine-root dynamics in forest trees. By Hans Persson.

17

11

Plant root systems in forests

The ecological importance of root systems in the woodlands of Central Africa and in the desert plants of Oman. By Raymond M. Lawton.

24

Fine-root development of Que reus robur L. in the Voronezh region of Russia. By Vladimir V.

29

Mamaev.

The root system of Juniperus communis L. in a sandy soil in Central Hungary. By Imre

Kdrdsz.

32

Root systems of Crataegus L. in the Trans-Ili Alatau, Kazakhstan. By Irina I. Kokoreva.

35

Growth of tree roots under heavy metal (Pb-) stress. By Siegmar- W. Breckle.

39

Ill

Plant root sytems in deserts and semi-deserts

Root growth and root architecture of non-halophytes under saline soil conditions. By

Siegmar- W. Breckle.

44

The anatomical root structure of Kochia prostrata (L.) Scrad. By Monika Sobotik.

48

Root systems of Eremurus (Liliaceae) in culture. By Madina A. Akhmetova.

53

Root system formation of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (seabuckthorn). By Raisa Turekhanova.

57

Root growth and water uptake in a desert sand dune ecosystem. By Maik Veste & Siegmar­ W.

59

Breckle.

Root morphology and ontogenesis of some common plant species in Trans-Ili Alatau, Kazakhstan. By Naschtay M. Mukhitdinov & Saule T. Aitakova.

65

Root respiration of Pancratium sickenbergeri - a desert geophyte of the Negev. By Maik 68

Veste & Siegmar- W. Breckle. Early stages of lateral root development in Triticum aestivum L. By Kirill N. Demchenko

& Nikolai P. Demchenko.

71

Acta Phytogeogr. Suec. 81

IV

Plant root systems in mountainous areas

Root distribution in some alpine plants. By Erwin Lichtenegger.

76

Root distribution of natural vegetation at high altitudes in Pamiro-Alai in Tajikistan. By

Khurshed K. Karimov & Yuri I. Molotkovski.

83

Root structure of plants in the Zailiisky Alatau Range, Kazakhstan. By Svetlana G.

Nesterova.

86

Root development of Ostrowskia magnifica Regel, a rare species in Kazakhstan. By Nazira K.

Zhaparova.

Root development of Fritillaria sewerzowii Regel (Liliaceae) in Tien Shan, Kazakhstan. By Anna A. lvaschenko.

V

88

92

Physiological and ecophysiological processes in root sytems

Growth of seedling roots under hydration - dehydration regimes. By Natalie V. Obroucheva

& Olga

V. Antipova.

95

Root development in maize exposed to an excess of water. By Galina M. Grinieva &

Tatiana

V.

Bragina.

98

Effects of water stress on the roots of Pisum sativum L. (pea) seedlings and tolerance of meristematic tissues to dehydration. By Donato Chiatante, Lucia Maiuro & Gabriella

Stefania Scippa.

1 01

Uptake and mobility of lead in Urtica dioica. By Ferenc Fodor, Edit Cseh, Diep Dao Thi

Phuong & Gy Zdray.

1 06

Use of minirhizotrons to study wheat rooting. By lames E. Box, Jr.

1 09

Release of cation binding compounds from maize roots under osmotic shock. By Nelly A.

Kuzembaeva & Batyrbek A. Sarsenbaev.

1 13

Morphological investigations of maize (Zea mays L.) root systems. By Elena M. Shubenko.

1 16

VI

Mycorrhiza

Pathways, mechanisms and efficiency of phosphate transfer in vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal roots. By F. Andrew Smith & Sally E. Smith.

1 19

Subject Index

1 26

Introduction

Plant roots serve a multitude of important functions in ecosystems. They are structurally complex organs, inti­ mately associated with a range of micro-organisms, some of which are harmful to, while others are beneficial for the plant. The rhizosphere, the root-soil interface, is the site where the interactions between the plant root system and the soil occur. Roots are responsible for a major source of carbon and mineral nutrient flow to the soil and are of considerable importance at the single plant level, as well as at the ecosystem level. Root development is influenced by various climatic factors and often modified or strength­ ened by human activities. The reason for the diversity in plant root systems may be a result of an adaption to the most effective performance (i.e. in the acquisition of water and dissolved ions, anchorage, storage, propagation or disposal) required under different environmental con­ ditions. It is important to distinguish between roots (indi­ vidual root members) and their integration in different root systems. A series of international root symposia have been organized by ISRR (the International Society of Root Research) focusing on plant root research. The fourth symposium, which was held at Almaty, in the Republic of Kazakhstan, 5-1 1 September 1 994, dealt with "Root sys­ tems and natural vegetation". The present proceedings are the result of this symposium. They are based on a number of oral and poster presentations, which address recent developments in basic and applied root research. The symposium succeeded in bringing together root research

workers from many disciplines to discuss research done on roots under both laboratory (artificial systems) and field conditions (natural vegetation). The object of this symposium was, furthermore, to outline the present state of root research, in particular in the countries of the former USSR, and to point out directions for future re­ search. Traditionally, root research has been developed extensively in many of these countries and, for western root scientists, it was important to get information about the present state of art of the research. The organizers were very pleased with the response to the announcement of this symposium, in spite of the fact that several interested scientists could, unfortunately, not attend the symposium because of economical difficulties. The symposium programme was based on a number of important themes, viz. : - Root anatomy and morphology; - Root systems of desert and mountain plants; - Root physiology; - Root systems of forest plants; - Mycorrhizal research. The symposium benefited greatly from the presence of many leading root scientists, both at the symposium and on excursions within Kazakhstan. We hope that the result of this symposium will lead to a better understand­ ing of plant root systems and stimulate co-operation and further research on roots, rhizosphere and related topics.

Hans Persson and Isa 0. Baitulin

Acta Phytogeogr. Suec. 81

6

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