Nonlinearity of root trait relationships and the root economics spectrum

Deliang Kong (), Junjian Wang (), Huifang Wu, Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes, Ruili Wang, Hui Zeng, Paul Kardol, Haiyan Zhang and Yulong Feng ()
Additional contact information
Deliang Kong: Shenyang Agricultural University
Junjian Wang: Southern University of Science and Technology
Huifang Wu: Henan University
Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes: Florida International University
Ruili Wang: Northwest A&F University
Hui Zeng: Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School
Paul Kardol: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Haiyan Zhang: Shenyang Agricultural University
Yulong Feng: Shenyang Agricultural University

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The root economics spectrum (RES), a common hypothesis postulating a tradeoff between resource acquisition and conservation traits, is being challenged by conflicting relationships between root diameter, tissue density (RTD) and root nitrogen concentration (RN). Here, we analyze a global trait dataset of absorptive roots for over 800 plant species. For woody species (but not for non-woody species), we find nonlinear relationships between root diameter and RTD and RN, which stem from the allometric relationship between stele and cortical tissues. These nonlinear relationships explain how sampling bias from different ends of the nonlinear curves can result in conflicting trait relationships. Further, the shape of the relationships varies depending on evolutionary context and mycorrhizal affiliation. Importantly, the observed nonlinear trait relationships do not support the RES predictions. Allometry-based nonlinearity of root trait relationships improves our understanding of the ecology, physiology and evolution of absorptive roots.

Date: 2019
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-10245-6 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-10245-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10245-6

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().