Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs

Grégoire T. Freschet; Catherine Roumet; Louise H. Comas; Monique Weemstra; A. Glyn Bengough; Boris Rewald; Richard D. Bardgett; Gerlinde B. De Deyn; David Johnson; Jitka Klimešová; Martin Lukac; M. Luke McCormack; Ina C. Meier; Loïc Pagès; Hendrik Poorter; Iván Prieto; Nina Wurzburger; Marcin Zadworny; Agnieszka Bagniewska-Zadworna; Elison B. Blancaflor; Ivano Brunner; Arthur Gessler; Sarah E. Hobbie; Colleen M. Iversen; Liesje Mommer; Catherine Picon-Cochard; Johannes A. Postma; Laura Rose; Peter Ryser; Michael Scherer-Lorenzen; Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia; Tao Sun; Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes; Alexandra Weigelt; Larry M. York; Alexia Stokes

doi:10.1111/nph.17072

Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs

Grégoire T. Freschet, Catherine Roumet, Louise H. Comas, Monique Weemstra, A. Glyn Bengough, Boris Rewald, Richard D. Bardgett, Gerlinde B. De Deyn, David Johnson, Jitka Klimešová, Martin Lukac, M. Luke McCormack, Ina C. Meier, Loïc Pagès, Hendrik Poorter, Iván Prieto, Nina Wurzburger, Marcin Zadworny, Agnieszka Bagniewska-Zadworna, Elison B. BlancaflorIvano Brunner, Arthur Gessler, Sarah E. Hobbie, Colleen M. Iversen, Liesje Mommer, Catherine Picon-Cochard, Johannes A. Postma, Laura Rose, Peter Ryser, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia, Tao Sun, Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes, Alexandra Weigelt, Larry M. York, Alexia Stokes

Plant-Soil Interactions

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate

372 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effects of plants on the biosphere, atmosphere and geosphere are key determinants of terrestrial ecosystem functioning. However, despite substantial progress made regarding plant belowground components, we are still only beginning to explore the complex relationships between root traits and functions. Drawing on the literature in plant physiology, ecophysiology, ecology, agronomy and soil science, we reviewed 24 aspects of plant and ecosystem functioning and their relationships with a number of root system traits, including aspects of architecture, physiology, morphology, anatomy, chemistry, biomechanics and biotic interactions. Based on this assessment, we critically evaluated the current strengths and gaps in our knowledge, and identify future research challenges in the field of root ecology. Most importantly, we found that belowground traits with the broadest importance in plant and ecosystem functioning are not those most commonly measured. Also, the estimation of trait relative importance for functioning requires us to consider a more comprehensive range of functionally relevant traits from a diverse range of species, across environments and over time series. We also advocate that establishing causal hierarchical links among root traits will provide a hypothesis-based framework to identify the most parsimonious sets of traits with the strongest links on functions, and to link genotypes to plant and ecosystem functioning.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1123-1158
Number of pages	36
Journal	New Phytologist
Volume	232
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17072
State	Published - Nov 2021

Funding

This work was supported by the New Phytologist Foundation via financial support to the 25th New Phytologist Workshop ‘Root traits as predictors of plant and soil functions: Aggregating current knowledge to build better foundations for root ecological science’, held in January 2019 in Montpellier, France. We also acknowledge support from Camille Noûs and the Cogitamus Laboratory. JK was supported by the Grant agency of the Czech Republic (19-13103S). MZ was supported by the Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences. CMI was supported by the Biological and Environmental Research programme in the United States Department of Energy’s Office of Science. We are grateful for the suggestions of three anonymous reviewers. This work was supported by the New Phytologist Foundation via financial support to the 25 New Phytologist Workshop ‘Root traits as predictors of plant and soil functions: Aggregating current knowledge to build better foundations for root ecological science’, held in January 2019 in Montpellier, France. We also acknowledge support from Camille Noûs and the Cogitamus Laboratory. JK was supported by the Grant agency of the Czech Republic (19‐13103S). MZ was supported by the Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences. CMI was supported by the Biological and Environmental Research programme in the United States Department of Energy’s Office of Science. We are grateful for the suggestions of three anonymous reviewers. th

Keywords

belowground ecology
ecosystem properties and processes
environmental gradients
plant functions
root traits
spatial and temporal scales
trait causal relationships
trait covariation

Access to Document

10.1111/nph.17072

Cite this

Freschet, G. T., Roumet, C., Comas, L. H., Weemstra, M., Bengough, A. G., Rewald, B., Bardgett, R. D., De Deyn, G. B., Johnson, D., Klimešová, J., Lukac, M., McCormack, M. L., Meier, I. C., Pagès, L., Poorter, H., Prieto, I., Wurzburger, N., Zadworny, M., Bagniewska-Zadworna, A., ... Stokes, A. (2021). Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs. New Phytologist, 232(3), 1123-1158. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17072

@article{7688fec5ccf9416eac8df0a2942a4ea3,

title = "Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs",

abstract = "The effects of plants on the biosphere, atmosphere and geosphere are key determinants of terrestrial ecosystem functioning. However, despite substantial progress made regarding plant belowground components, we are still only beginning to explore the complex relationships between root traits and functions. Drawing on the literature in plant physiology, ecophysiology, ecology, agronomy and soil science, we reviewed 24 aspects of plant and ecosystem functioning and their relationships with a number of root system traits, including aspects of architecture, physiology, morphology, anatomy, chemistry, biomechanics and biotic interactions. Based on this assessment, we critically evaluated the current strengths and gaps in our knowledge, and identify future research challenges in the field of root ecology. Most importantly, we found that belowground traits with the broadest importance in plant and ecosystem functioning are not those most commonly measured. Also, the estimation of trait relative importance for functioning requires us to consider a more comprehensive range of functionally relevant traits from a diverse range of species, across environments and over time series. We also advocate that establishing causal hierarchical links among root traits will provide a hypothesis-based framework to identify the most parsimonious sets of traits with the strongest links on functions, and to link genotypes to plant and ecosystem functioning.",

keywords = "belowground ecology, ecosystem properties and processes, environmental gradients, plant functions, root traits, spatial and temporal scales, trait causal relationships, trait covariation",

author = "Freschet, {Gr{\'e}goire T.} and Catherine Roumet and Comas, {Louise H.} and Monique Weemstra and Bengough, {A. Glyn} and Boris Rewald and Bardgett, {Richard D.} and {De Deyn}, {Gerlinde B.} and David Johnson and Jitka Klime{\v s}ov{\'a} and Martin Lukac and McCormack, {M. Luke} and Meier, {Ina C.} and Lo{\"i}c Pag{\`e}s and Hendrik Poorter and Iv{\'a}n Prieto and Nina Wurzburger and Marcin Zadworny and Agnieszka Bagniewska-Zadworna and Blancaflor, {Elison B.} and Ivano Brunner and Arthur Gessler and Hobbie, {Sarah E.} and Iversen, {Colleen M.} and Liesje Mommer and Catherine Picon-Cochard and Postma, {Johannes A.} and Laura Rose and Peter Ryser and Michael Scherer-Lorenzen and Soudzilovskaia, {Nadejda A.} and Tao Sun and Valverde-Barrantes, {Oscar J.} and Alexandra Weigelt and York, {Larry M.} and Alexia Stokes",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. New Phytologist {\textcopyright} 2021 New Phytologist Foundation",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1111/nph.17072",

language = "English",

volume = "232",

pages = "1123--1158",

journal = "New Phytologist",

issn = "0028-646X",

publisher = "wiley",

number = "3",

}

Freschet, GT, Roumet, C, Comas, LH, Weemstra, M, Bengough, AG, Rewald, B, Bardgett, RD, De Deyn, GB, Johnson, D, Klimešová, J, Lukac, M, McCormack, ML, Meier, IC, Pagès, L, Poorter, H, Prieto, I, Wurzburger, N, Zadworny, M, Bagniewska-Zadworna, A, Blancaflor, EB, Brunner, I, Gessler, A, Hobbie, SE, Iversen, CM, Mommer, L, Picon-Cochard, C, Postma, JA, Rose, L, Ryser, P, Scherer-Lorenzen, M, Soudzilovskaia, NA, Sun, T, Valverde-Barrantes, OJ, Weigelt, A, York, LM & Stokes, A 2021, 'Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs', New Phytologist, vol. 232, no. 3, pp. 1123-1158. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17072

TY - JOUR

T1 - Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning

T2 - current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs

AU - Freschet, Grégoire T.

AU - Roumet, Catherine

AU - Comas, Louise H.

AU - Weemstra, Monique

AU - Bengough, A. Glyn

AU - Rewald, Boris

AU - Bardgett, Richard D.

AU - De Deyn, Gerlinde B.

AU - Johnson, David

AU - Klimešová, Jitka

AU - Lukac, Martin

AU - McCormack, M. Luke

AU - Meier, Ina C.

AU - Pagès, Loïc

AU - Poorter, Hendrik

AU - Prieto, Iván

AU - Wurzburger, Nina

AU - Zadworny, Marcin

AU - Bagniewska-Zadworna, Agnieszka

AU - Blancaflor, Elison B.

AU - Brunner, Ivano

AU - Gessler, Arthur

AU - Hobbie, Sarah E.

AU - Iversen, Colleen M.

AU - Mommer, Liesje

AU - Picon-Cochard, Catherine

AU - Postma, Johannes A.

AU - Rose, Laura

AU - Ryser, Peter

AU - Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael

AU - Soudzilovskaia, Nadejda A.

AU - Sun, Tao

AU - Valverde-Barrantes, Oscar J.

AU - Weigelt, Alexandra

AU - York, Larry M.

AU - Stokes, Alexia

PY - 2021/11

Y1 - 2021/11

N2 - The effects of plants on the biosphere, atmosphere and geosphere are key determinants of terrestrial ecosystem functioning. However, despite substantial progress made regarding plant belowground components, we are still only beginning to explore the complex relationships between root traits and functions. Drawing on the literature in plant physiology, ecophysiology, ecology, agronomy and soil science, we reviewed 24 aspects of plant and ecosystem functioning and their relationships with a number of root system traits, including aspects of architecture, physiology, morphology, anatomy, chemistry, biomechanics and biotic interactions. Based on this assessment, we critically evaluated the current strengths and gaps in our knowledge, and identify future research challenges in the field of root ecology. Most importantly, we found that belowground traits with the broadest importance in plant and ecosystem functioning are not those most commonly measured. Also, the estimation of trait relative importance for functioning requires us to consider a more comprehensive range of functionally relevant traits from a diverse range of species, across environments and over time series. We also advocate that establishing causal hierarchical links among root traits will provide a hypothesis-based framework to identify the most parsimonious sets of traits with the strongest links on functions, and to link genotypes to plant and ecosystem functioning.

AB - The effects of plants on the biosphere, atmosphere and geosphere are key determinants of terrestrial ecosystem functioning. However, despite substantial progress made regarding plant belowground components, we are still only beginning to explore the complex relationships between root traits and functions. Drawing on the literature in plant physiology, ecophysiology, ecology, agronomy and soil science, we reviewed 24 aspects of plant and ecosystem functioning and their relationships with a number of root system traits, including aspects of architecture, physiology, morphology, anatomy, chemistry, biomechanics and biotic interactions. Based on this assessment, we critically evaluated the current strengths and gaps in our knowledge, and identify future research challenges in the field of root ecology. Most importantly, we found that belowground traits with the broadest importance in plant and ecosystem functioning are not those most commonly measured. Also, the estimation of trait relative importance for functioning requires us to consider a more comprehensive range of functionally relevant traits from a diverse range of species, across environments and over time series. We also advocate that establishing causal hierarchical links among root traits will provide a hypothesis-based framework to identify the most parsimonious sets of traits with the strongest links on functions, and to link genotypes to plant and ecosystem functioning.

KW - belowground ecology

KW - ecosystem properties and processes

KW - environmental gradients

KW - plant functions

KW - root traits

KW - spatial and temporal scales

KW - trait causal relationships

KW - trait covariation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85116354163&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/nph.17072

DO - 10.1111/nph.17072

M3 - Comment/debate

C2 - 33159479

AN - SCOPUS:85116354163

SN - 0028-646X

VL - 232

SP - 1123

EP - 1158

JO - New Phytologist

JF - New Phytologist

IS - 3

ER -

Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this