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Background and aims <p>Fine root traits vary in response to increasing resource availability associated with plant diversity, yet the effects of increased tree diversity on species-specific changes in root traits and resource acquisition strategies remain poorly understood.</p> Methods <p>We sampled fine roots of <i>Pinus massoniana</i> from a chronosequence of <i>P. massoniana</i> monocultures and corresponding mixed plantations with <i>Castanopsis hystrix</i>, and measured morphological, architectural, anatomical, mycorrhizal, chemical, and system and distribution traits.</p> Results <p>Mixing <i>P. massoniana</i> with <i>C. hystrix</i> significantly affected several of the 15 fine root traits measured, mostly observed at the overmature stand stage. Specifically, mixing significantly decreased specific root length and increased root diameter of <i>P. massoniana</i> in the overmature stand. This indicates that mixing may reduce fine root foraging efficiency while enhancing root structural resistance and lifespan, promoting a conservative resource foraging strategy during late stand development. Moreover, mixing increased root length density and root area index in the overmature stand, facilitating the expansion of fine roots in the soil to scavenge nutrients. In the near-mature stand, mixing significantly increased root nitrogen content, promoting greater reliance on increased root metabolic activity to absorb nutrients. Soil chemical properties and stand characteristics drove changes in fine root traits across the stand age gradient.</p> Conclusions <p>The effects of tree species mixing on trait parameters are trait-specific and age-dependent. Mixing promotes conservative and extensive resource acquisition strategies at the late stages of stand development. These findings provide insights into the relationships between plant diversity and root function based on intraspecific variations.</p>

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Age-dependent tree species mixing effects on root resource acquisition strategies in Pinus massoniana plantations

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年3月14日

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  • Huiqing Song,
  • Qilan Cen,
  • Jiaqi Ya,
  • Huizhen Qin,
  • Peng He,
  • Angang Ming,
  • Shidan Zhu,
  • Weijun Shen

摘要

Background and aims

Fine root traits vary in response to increasing resource availability associated with plant diversity, yet the effects of increased tree diversity on species-specific changes in root traits and resource acquisition strategies remain poorly understood.

Methods

We sampled fine roots of Pinus massoniana from a chronosequence of P. massoniana monocultures and corresponding mixed plantations with Castanopsis hystrix, and measured morphological, architectural, anatomical, mycorrhizal, chemical, and system and distribution traits.

Results

Mixing P. massoniana with C. hystrix significantly affected several of the 15 fine root traits measured, mostly observed at the overmature stand stage. Specifically, mixing significantly decreased specific root length and increased root diameter of P. massoniana in the overmature stand. This indicates that mixing may reduce fine root foraging efficiency while enhancing root structural resistance and lifespan, promoting a conservative resource foraging strategy during late stand development. Moreover, mixing increased root length density and root area index in the overmature stand, facilitating the expansion of fine roots in the soil to scavenge nutrients. In the near-mature stand, mixing significantly increased root nitrogen content, promoting greater reliance on increased root metabolic activity to absorb nutrients. Soil chemical properties and stand characteristics drove changes in fine root traits across the stand age gradient.

Conclusions

The effects of tree species mixing on trait parameters are trait-specific and age-dependent. Mixing promotes conservative and extensive resource acquisition strategies at the late stages of stand development. These findings provide insights into the relationships between plant diversity and root function based on intraspecific variations.