Effects of competition on spatial distribution of roots of blue grama
Issue Date
1991-01-01Keywords
intraspecific competitioncompetitive ability
plant morphology
root systems
Bouteloua gracilis
plant communities
spatial distribution
plant competition
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Coffin, D. P., & Lauenroth, W. K. (1991). Effects of competition on spatial distribution of roots of blue grama. Journal of Range Management, 44(1), 68-71.Publisher
Society for Range ManagementJournal
Journal of Range ManagementDOI
10.2307/4002642Additional Links
https://rangelands.org/Abstract
The spatial distribution of roots of the perennial grass blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. ex Grifftths] was evaluated under 2 competitive conditions. The radioistope 14C was used to label roots of blue grama plants growing with and without neighboring plants of the same lifeform. The majority of labeled blue grama roots (>75%) were found within 5 cm of the plant and within 10 cm of the soil surface. Labeled roots extended at least 30 cm from the edge of the plant and to depths of at least 90 cm. Root system morphology was insensitive to changes in competitive conditions. Based on our estimates of the depth and breadth of the root system of an average blue grama plant, roots associated with at least 4 other blue grama plants of average size and separated by average distances of 10 cm might occur within the volume of soil associated with roots of this plant. The distribution of total root biomass was not representative of the distribution of labeled roots, even when neighboring grasses were removed.Type
textArticle
Language
enISSN
0022-409Xae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.2307/4002642