caa a22 4500 606218378 CHVBK 20210128101112.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150201xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11104-014-2253-z doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11104-014-2253-z Plasticity of tree root system structure in contrasting soil materials and environmental conditions [Elektronische Daten] [Caroline Zanetti, Michel Vennetier, Patrice Mériaux, Mireille Provansal] Background and aims: Tree root system structure and development are difficult to assess and poorly understood in natural conditions because of soil heterogeneity and the difficulty in extracting mature tree root systems without damaging them. The purpose of this study was to understand root system development plasticity according to biological and physical parameters: species, tree age and size, soil material, water availability, slope angle, and climate. Methods: Two hundred and forty-three mature trees from 12 species were uprooted from homogeneous French dikes fills. Root system structure (root number and size, root system span, depth and volume) was compared between two contrasting soil materials: fine and coarse. Results: Tree species had little influence on root system structure: all root system types and root size could be found for most of the species according to site conditions. Heart root systems were limited to fine material while mixed and tap root systems were found on coarse material. In coarse materials, trees developed few but rather large roots (>5cm in diameter and >4m in length). In fine materials, root systems had three times more roots but they were 40% smaller and shorter. Roots were 20% more numerous and 65% larger on the downslope side due to water availability at dike or riverbank toe. Conclusion: Root system structure was mainly influenced by soil material and water availability and far less by tree species. Tree root systems are opportunistic in developing in the direction where water and nutrients are plentiful: whatever the species, predicting its dimensions and structure requires a thorough investigation of soil and other environmental conditions. This study gives a new insight in root development: it will help predict tree root growth in various environments and particularly on dikes. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2014 Tree root system structure nationallicence Root number nationallicence Root size nationallicence Root distribution nationallicence Trees on dikes nationallicence Zanetti Caroline Irstea, UR OHAX Ouvrages hydrauliques et hydrologie, F-13182, Le Tholonet Aix-en-Provence, France aut Vennetier Michel Irstea, UR EMAX Ecosystèmes méditerranéens et risques, F-13182, Le Tholonet Aix-en-Provence, France aut Mériaux Patrice Irstea, UR OHAX Ouvrages hydrauliques et hydrologie, F-13182, Le Tholonet Aix-en-Provence, France aut Provansal Mireille CEREGE, Europôle de l'Arbois, BP 80, 413545, Aix-en-Provence cedex, France aut Plant and Soil Springer International Publishing 387/1-2(2015-02-01), 21-35 0032-079X 387:1-2<21 2015 387 11104 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2253-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2253-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Zanetti Caroline Irstea, UR OHAX Ouvrages hydrauliques et hydrologie, F-13182, Le Tholonet Aix-en-Provence, France aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Vennetier Michel Irstea, UR EMAX Ecosystèmes méditerranéens et risques, F-13182, Le Tholonet Aix-en-Provence, France aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Mériaux Patrice Irstea, UR OHAX Ouvrages hydrauliques et hydrologie, F-13182, Le Tholonet Aix-en-Provence, France aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Provansal Mireille CEREGE, Europôle de l'Arbois, BP 80, 413545, Aix-en-Provence cedex, France aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Plant and Soil Springer International Publishing 387/1-2(2015-02-01), 21-35 0032-079X 387:1-2<21 2015 387 11104