Testing allometric scaling relationships in plant roots

Forest Ecosystems

T. Ryan Lock¹  Robert L. Kallenbach¹  Xinrong Shi²  Zhiyou Yuan²  Qiang Deng³ 

[1] Division of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 108 Waters Hall, 65211, Columbia, MO, USA;State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, 712100, Yangling, Shaanxi, China;Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, Shaanxi, China;State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, 712100, Yangling, Shaanxi, China;University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China;

关键词: Allometry;    Biomass;    Metabolic scaling;    Plant roots;    Productivity;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40663-020-00269-6

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMetabolic scaling theory predicts that plant productivity and biomass are both size-dependent. However, this theory has not yet been tested in plant roots.MethodsIn this study, we tested how metabolic scaling occurs in plants using a comprehensive plant root dataset made up of 1016 observations from natural habitats. We generated metabolic scaling exponents by log-transformation of root productivity versus biomass.ResultsResults showed that the metabolic scaling exponents of fine root (< 2 mm in diameter) productivity versus biomass were close to 1.0 for all ecosystem types and functional groups. Scaling exponents decreased in coarse roots (> 2 mm in diameter).ConclusionsWe found isometric metabolic scaling in fine roots, a metabolically active organ similar to seedlings or saplings. Our findings also indicate a shift in metabolic scaling during plant development. Overall, our study supports the absence of any unified single constant scaling exponent for metabolism-biomass relationships in terrestrial plants, especially for forests with woody species.

【 授权许可】

CC BY