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| Titel |
Root diversity in alpine plants: root length, tensile strength and plant age |
| VerfasserIn |
M. Pohl, R. Stroude, C. Körner, A. Buttler, C. Rixen |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2009
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 11 (2009) |
| Datensatznummer |
250029028
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| Zusammenfassung |
| A high diversity of plant species and functional groups is hypothesised to increase the
diversity of root types and their subsequent effects for soil stability. However, even basic data
on root characteristics of alpine plants are very scarce. Therefore, we determined
important root characteristics of 13 plant species from different functional groups, i.e.
grasses, herbs and shrubs. We excavated the whole root systems of 62 plants from a
machine-graded ski slope at 2625 m a.s.l. and analysed the rooting depth, the horizontal root
extension, root length and diameter. Single roots of plant species were tested for tensile
strength. The age of herbs and shrubs was determined by growth-ring analysis.
Root characteristics varied considerably between both plant species and functional
groups.
The rooting depth of different species ranged from 7.2 ± 0.97 cm to 20.5 ± 2.33 cm, but
was significantly larger in the herb Geum reptans (70.8 ± 10.75 cm). The woody species
Salix breviserrata reached the highest horizontal root extensions (96.8 ± 25.5 cm). Most
plants had their longest roots in fine diameter classes (0.5Â |
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