Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 180196 |
| Journal | Vadose Zone Journal |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 28 Mar 2019 |
| Publication status | Published - 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Roots are known to use biopores as preferential growth pathways to overcome hard soil layers and access subsoil water resources. This study evaluates root- biopore interactions at the root-system scale under different soil physical and environmental conditions using a mechanistic simulation model and extensive experimental field data. In a field experiment, spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was grown on silt loam with a large biopore density. X-ray computed tomography scans of soil columns from the field site were used to provide a realistic biopore network as input for the three-dimensional numerical R-SWMS model, which was then applied to simulate root architecture as well as water flow in the root-biopore-soil continuum. The model was calibrated against observed root length densities in both the bulk soil and biopores by optimizing root growth model input parameters. By implementing known interactions between root growth and soil penetration resistance into our model, we could simulate root systems whose response to biopores in the soil corresponded well to experimental observations described in the literature, such as increased total root length and increased rooting depth. For all considered soil physical (soil texture and bulk density) and environmental conditions (years of varying dryness), we found biopores to substantially mitigate transpiration deficits in times of drought by allowing roots to take up water from wetter and deeper soil layers. This was even the case when assuming reduced root water uptake in biopores due to limited root-soil contact. The beneficial impact of biopores on root water uptake was larger for more compact and less conductive soils.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Soil Science
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In: Vadose Zone Journal, Vol. 18, No. 1, 180196, 2019.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Modeling the Impact of Biopores on Root Growth and Root Water Uptake
AU - Landl, Magdalena
AU - Schnepf, Andrea
AU - Uteau, Daniel
AU - Peth, Stephan
AU - Athmann, Miriam
AU - Kautz, Timo
AU - Perkons, Ute
AU - Vereecken, Harry
AU - Vanderborght, Jan
N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forsc-hungsgemeinschaft) within the framework of the research consortium DFG PAK 888. We thank Sabine Seidel for the collection of the field data as well as the staff of the Campus Klein-Altendorf for providing the climate data.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Roots are known to use biopores as preferential growth pathways to overcome hard soil layers and access subsoil water resources. This study evaluates root- biopore interactions at the root-system scale under different soil physical and environmental conditions using a mechanistic simulation model and extensive experimental field data. In a field experiment, spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was grown on silt loam with a large biopore density. X-ray computed tomography scans of soil columns from the field site were used to provide a realistic biopore network as input for the three-dimensional numerical R-SWMS model, which was then applied to simulate root architecture as well as water flow in the root-biopore-soil continuum. The model was calibrated against observed root length densities in both the bulk soil and biopores by optimizing root growth model input parameters. By implementing known interactions between root growth and soil penetration resistance into our model, we could simulate root systems whose response to biopores in the soil corresponded well to experimental observations described in the literature, such as increased total root length and increased rooting depth. For all considered soil physical (soil texture and bulk density) and environmental conditions (years of varying dryness), we found biopores to substantially mitigate transpiration deficits in times of drought by allowing roots to take up water from wetter and deeper soil layers. This was even the case when assuming reduced root water uptake in biopores due to limited root-soil contact. The beneficial impact of biopores on root water uptake was larger for more compact and less conductive soils.
AB - Roots are known to use biopores as preferential growth pathways to overcome hard soil layers and access subsoil water resources. This study evaluates root- biopore interactions at the root-system scale under different soil physical and environmental conditions using a mechanistic simulation model and extensive experimental field data. In a field experiment, spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was grown on silt loam with a large biopore density. X-ray computed tomography scans of soil columns from the field site were used to provide a realistic biopore network as input for the three-dimensional numerical R-SWMS model, which was then applied to simulate root architecture as well as water flow in the root-biopore-soil continuum. The model was calibrated against observed root length densities in both the bulk soil and biopores by optimizing root growth model input parameters. By implementing known interactions between root growth and soil penetration resistance into our model, we could simulate root systems whose response to biopores in the soil corresponded well to experimental observations described in the literature, such as increased total root length and increased rooting depth. For all considered soil physical (soil texture and bulk density) and environmental conditions (years of varying dryness), we found biopores to substantially mitigate transpiration deficits in times of drought by allowing roots to take up water from wetter and deeper soil layers. This was even the case when assuming reduced root water uptake in biopores due to limited root-soil contact. The beneficial impact of biopores on root water uptake was larger for more compact and less conductive soils.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064258716&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2136/vzj2018.11.0196
DO - 10.2136/vzj2018.11.0196
M3 - Article
VL - 18
JO - Vadose Zone Journal
JF - Vadose Zone Journal
SN - 1539-1663
IS - 1
M1 - 180196
ER -