Architectural analysis of plant root systems 1. Architectural correlates of exploitation efficiency

Abstract

summaryIn order to determine whether variation in root system architecture can be said to be adaptive, it is necessary' to be able to define the costs and benefits of particular architectures. A simulation model of root growth is described that allows the development of root systems varying in several important architectural features, including topology, link lengths and radii, and branching angles. The program also estimates the exploitation efficiency of each root system, as the ratio of the volume of soil occupied by depletion zones (allowing for overlaps between competing roots) and the volume of tissue required to construct the system. Output from the model shows that high exploitation efficiency is associated with a herringbone topology (where branching is predominantly on the main axis) and with long interior and exterior links, although all these characteristics are associated with large tissue volumes and hence high construction cost, We predict, therefore, that such ‘expensive’ root systems will occur mainly in nutrient‐poor soils and on plants characteristic of such soils.