Arid Zone Research ›› 2021, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (5): 1420-1428.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2021.05.24

• Plant and Plant Physiology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Root distribution characteristics of three typical plantations in a Loess Hills region

LI Hao1,2(),HU Chanjuan1(),ZHAO Rongqin2,GUO Lei1,MAN Zhou3   

  1. 1. Institute of Geographical Science, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China
    2. College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, North China University of Water Resource and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450045, Henan, China
    3. Zhengzhou Branch, Tianjin Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China
  • Received:2020-12-21 Revised:2021-03-03 Online:2021-09-15 Published:2021-09-24
  • Contact: Chanjuan HU E-mail:876320273@qq.com;huchanjuan1981@126.com

Abstract:

The root is the main organ through which plants absorb water and nutrients. The development and distribution of roots have an extremely important impact on plant growth. In order to understand the root distribution characteristics of typical artificial forests in Loess Hills areas and provide a scientific basis for vegetation restoration in the future, a case study was carried out on three artificial forests (Populus tomentosa, Pinus tabuliformis and Armeniaca sibirica), located in Longtan watershed, Anding District, Dingxi City, Gansu Province. The study analyzed root length density, root area density and root biomass density in different soil depths and diameter degrees, and the results showed that: (1) Fine roots of different diameter classes were dominant in all three artificial forests. The root length and root area densities of fine roots and total roots were the following: Populus tomentosa>Pinus tabulaeformis>Armeniaca sibirica, while the root biomass density was the following: Pinus tabulaeformis>Populus tomentosa>Armeniaca sibirica. The Pinus tabulaeformis forest had the highest root length and root area densities of middle roots and coarse roots. (2) In the vertical soil profile, the root length, root area, and root biomass densities of total and fine roots decreased with increasing soil depth. However, the vertical distribution feature of middle and coarse roots was not clear. (3) The root length density, root area density and root biomass density of fine and total roots were significantly and positively correlated with soil total carbon, total nitrogen, organic carbon, and water content. The root length and root area densities of middle roots were significantly correlated with soil total carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and organic carbon. The root length and root area densities of coarse roots were significantly correlated with soil total carbon. The increase in soil carbon, nitrogen and water contents had a synergistic effect on the growth of the root system to a certain extent.

Key words: Loess Hills region, plantation, root, diameter class