Evolutionary divergences in root system morphology, allocation, and nitrogen uptake in species from high- versus low-fertility soils
Alan W. Bowsher A C , Benjamin J. Miller B and Lisa A. Donovan A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A 2502 Miller Plant Sciences, Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
B 400 Biosciences Building, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
C Corresponding author. Email: bowsher@uga.edu
Functional Plant Biology 43(2) 129-140 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP15162
Submitted: 13 June 2015 Accepted: 29 October 2015 Published: 9 December 2015
Abstract
Root morphology and nutrient uptake processes are essential for acquisition of mineral resources from soil. However, our understanding of how root form and function have diverged across environments is limited. In this study, we addressed hypotheses of adaptive differentiation using three pairs of Helianthus species chosen as phylogenetically-independent contrasts with respect to native soil nutrients. Under controlled environmental conditions, root morphology, allocation, and nitrogen (N) uptake (using a 15N tracer) were assessed for seedlings under both high and low N treatments. Species native to low nutrient soils (LNS) had lower total root length than those native to high nutrient soils (HNS), reflecting the slower growth rates of species from less fertile environments. Contrary to expectations, species did not consistently differ in specific root length, root tissue density, or root system plasticity, and species native to LNS had lower root : total mass ratio and higher 15N uptake rates than species native to HNS. Overall, these evolutionary divergences provide support for adaptive differentiation among species, with repeated evolution of slow-growing root systems suited for low resource availability in LNS. However, species native to LNS maintain a high capacity for N uptake, potentially as a means of maximising nutrient acquisition from transient pulses.
Additional keywords: adaptation, plant growth strategies, specific root length, stable isotopes, 15N.
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