Contrasting Depth Dependencies of Plant Root Presence and Mass Across Biomes Underscore Prolific Root-Regolith Interactions

Root distributions are typically based on root mass per soil volume. This plant-focused approach masks the biogeochemical influence of fine roots, which weigh little. We assert that centimeter-scale root presence-absence data from soil profiles provide a more soil-focused approach for probing depth distributions of root-regolith interfaces, where microsite-scale processes drive whole-ecosystem functioning. In 75 soil pits across the continental USA, Puerto Rico, and the Alps, we quantified fine and coarse root presence as deep as 2 m. In 70 of these pits we estimated root mass and created standardized metrics of both data sets to compare their depth distributions. We addressed whether: (a) depth distributions of root presence-absence data differ from root mass data, thus implying different degrees of root-regolith interactions with depth; and (b) if root presence or any depth-dependent differences between these data sets vary predictably with environmental conditions. Presence of fine roots exhibited diverse depth-dependent patterns; root mass generally declined with depth. In B and C horizons, standardized root presence was greater than standardized root mass; random forest analyses suggest these discrepancies are greater in B horizons with increasing mean annual precipitation and in C horizons with increasing mean annual temperature. Our work suggests that deep in the subsurface, biogeochemical and reactive transport processes result from more numerous root-regolith interfaces than mass data suggest. We present a new paradigm for discerning patterns in depth distributions of root-regolith interfaces across multiple biomes and land uses that promotes understanding of the roles of those interfaces in driving key critical zone processes.

Duke Scholars

Author Daniel D. Richter Earth and Climate Sciences