Integrated plant phenotypic responses to contrasting above- and below-ground resources: key roles of specific leaf area and root mass fraction

The New Phytologist
Grégoire T FreschetJohannes H C Cornelissen

Abstract

Plants adapt phenotypically to different conditions of light and nutrient supply, supposedly in order to achieve colimitation of these resources. Their key variable of adjustment is the ratio of leaf area to root length, which relies on plant biomass allocation and organ morphology. We recorded phenotypic differences in leaf and root mass fractions (LMF, RMF), specific leaf area (SLA) and specific root length (SRL) of 12 herbaceous species grown in factorial combinations of high/low irradiance and fertilization treatments. Leaf area and root length ratios, and their components, were influenced by nonadditive effects between light and nutrient supply, and differences in the strength of plant responses were partly explained by Ellenberg's species values representing ecological optima. Changes in allocation were critical in plant responses to nutrient availability, as the RMF contribution to changes in root length was 2.5× that of the SRL. Contrastingly, morphological adjustments (SLA rather than LMF) made up the bulk of plant response to light availability. Our results suggest largely predictable differences in responses of species and groups of species to environmental change. Nevertheless, they stress the critical need to accou...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 16, 2015·Journal of Experimental Botany·Angela C WhiteColin P Osborne
May 9, 2015·The New Phytologist·Hendrik Poorter, Peter Ryser
Jul 5, 2016·Frontiers in Plant Science·Martin WeiserTomáš Herben
Jul 4, 2015·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Rubén MillaCyrille Violle
Oct 4, 2018·PloS One·Katharina HerzHelge Bruelheide
Dec 24, 2018·Ecology·Joshua S CaplanM Luke McCormack
Jul 16, 2019·The New Phytologist
Jan 24, 2020·Journal of Economic Entomology·Esther L NampeeraJohn M Wesonga
Feb 8, 2020·Ecology·Samantha J WorthyNathan G Swenson
Mar 17, 2017·Nature·Ben Scheres, Wim H van der Putten
Jan 10, 2018·Frontiers in Plant Science·Ekaterina V SheshukovaYuri L Dorokhov
Jan 1, 2018·Plant and Soil·Ellen L FryRichard D Bardgett
Nov 5, 2019·Frontiers in Plant Science·M Luke McCormack, Colleen M Iversen
Jan 1, 2020·Global Change Biology·Jens KattgeChristian Wirth
Nov 17, 2016·Frontiers in Plant Science·Jujie JiaYanjie Liu
Jun 25, 2019·Frontiers in Plant Science·Ivano BrunnerArthur Gessler
Dec 14, 2019·The New Phytologist·Coline C F BoonmanElmar M Veenendaal
Jul 17, 2016·Plant, Cell & Environment·Angela C BurnettColin P Osborne
Jun 14, 2018·Annals of Botany·Marcin ZadwornyDavid M Eissenstat
Sep 24, 2020·Annals of Botany·Guy M TaseskiWilliam K Cornwell
Dec 31, 2020·Plants·Rosa VescioAgostino Sorgonà
Feb 26, 2021·Ecology·Jennifer L FunkJoni Ricks-Oddie
Jun 8, 2021·Physiologia Plantarum·Tatiane Viegas DebiasiHalley Caixeta Oliveira

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