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- Title
Resource and non-resource root competition effects of grasses on early- versus late-successional trees.
- Authors
Messier, Christian; Coll, Lluis; Poitras-Larivière, Amélie; Bélanger, Nicolas; Brisson, Jacques
- Abstract
1. This study assessed the effects of resource (i.e. nutrients) and non-resource (i.e. interference for space) competition from fine roots of competing grasses on the growth, morphology and architecture of fine roots of four tree species of varying successional status: Populus deltoides ¥ P. balsamifera (a hybrid), Betula papyrifera, Acer saccharum and Fraxinus americana. We tested the general hypothesis that tree fine-roots are affected by both below-ground resource and non-resource competition from non-self plants, and the more specific hypothesis that this effect is stronger in early-successional tree species. 2. The experiment was conducted in split-containers where half of the roots of tree seedlings experienced either below-ground resource competition or non-resource competition, or both, by grasses while the other half experienced no competition. 3. The late-successional tree species A. saccharum and F. americana were mostly affected by resource competition, whereas the early-successional P. deltoides¥ balsamifera and B. papyrifera were strongly affected by both resource and non-resource competition. Non-resource competition reduced fine-root growth, root branching over root length (a measure of root architecture) and specific root length (a measure of root morphology) of both early-successional species. 4. Synthesis. This study suggests that early-successional tree species have been selected for root avoidance or segregation and late-successional tree species for root tolerance of competition as mechanisms to improve below-ground resource uptake in their particular environments. It also contradicts recent studies showing perennial and annual grasses tend to overproduce roots in the presence of non-self conspecific plants. Woody plants, required to grow and develop for long periods in the presence of other plants, may react differently to non-self root competition than perennial or annual grasses that have much shorter lives.
- Subjects
PLANT roots; GRASSES; RANGE plants; PLANT growth; PLANT physiology; PAPER birch; SUGAR maple; WHITE ash; SEEDLINGS
- Publication
Journal of Ecology, 2009, Vol 97, Issue 3, p548
- ISSN
0022-0477
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2745.2009.01500.x