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Impacts of morphological traits and temperature on fine root respiration during dormancy of Caragana korshinskii
Author(s) -
Lai Zongrui,
Zhang Yuqing,
Wu Bin,
Qin Shugao,
Feng Wei,
Liu Jiabin
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
ecological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1440-1703
pISSN - 0912-3814
DOI - 10.1007/s11284-014-1227-1
Subject(s) - dormancy , respiration , abiotic component , caragana , subsoil , biology , carbon dioxide , botany , respiration rate , horticulture , root system , chemistry , germination , soil water , ecology
Respiration of fine roots ( R fr ) plays a major role in belowground carbon cycles, but the relationships between R fr and biotic and abiotic factors during plant dormancy remain unclear. We used a standard chamber equipped with an infrared gas analyzer and configured as an open system to measure R fr of intact roots (<2 mm) of Caragana korshinskii in situ in November 2013. Rates of R fr in C. korshinskii were closely related to root morphological traits, including mean root diameter ( D fr , mm), specific root length (SRL, root length per unit root mass, m g −1 ), and root tissue density (RTD, root mass per unit root volume, g cm −3 ). During dormancy of C. korshinskii , smaller‐diameter fine roots had higher respiration rates than larger diameter fine roots, and R fr increased with increasing SRL and decreasing RTD. Meanwhile, R fr rates increased exponentially with increasing root temperature. Soil temperature (especially in the subsoil layer) did not play a role in controlling changes in R fr . The results indicated that changes in root temperature and D fr were likely to determine rates of R fr in C. korshinskii during dormancy. Our results highlight the importance of assessing carbon loss from fine roots during the dormant period.