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The Effects of Nutrient Dynamics on Root Patch Choice

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  • Hagai Shemesh
  • Adi Arbiv
  • Mordechai Gersani
  • Ofer Ovadia
  • Ariel Novoplansky

Abstract

Plants have been recognized to be capable of allocating more roots to rich patches in the soil. We tested the hypothesis that in addition to their sensitivity to absolute differences in nutrient availability, plants are also responsive to temporal changes in nutrient availability. Different roots of the same Pisum sativum plants were subjected to variable homogeneous and heterogeneous temporally – dynamic and static nutrient regimes. When given a choice, plants not only developed greater root biomasses in richer patches; they discriminately allocated more resources to roots that developed in patches with increasing nutrient levels, even when their other roots developed in richer patches. These results suggest that plants are able to perceive and respond to dynamic environmental changes. This ability might enable plants to increase their performance by responding to both current and anticipated resource availabilities in their immediate proximity.

Suggested Citation

  • Hagai Shemesh & Adi Arbiv & Mordechai Gersani & Ofer Ovadia & Ariel Novoplansky, 2010. "The Effects of Nutrient Dynamics on Root Patch Choice," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(5), pages 1-6, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0010824
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010824
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhengwen Wang & Mark van Kleunen & Heinjo J During & Marinus J A Werger, 2013. "Root Foraging Increases Performance of the Clonal Plant Potentilla reptans in Heterogeneous Nutrient Environments," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(3), pages 1-8, March.

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