TY - JOUR

T1 - Going underground

T2 - Root traits as drivers of ecosystem processes

AU - Bardgett, Richard D.

AU - Mommer, Liesje

AU - De Vries, Franciska T.

PY - 2014/12/31

Y1 - 2014/12/31

N2 - Ecologists are increasingly adopting trait-based approaches to understand how community change influences ecosystem processes. However, most of this research has focussed on aboveground plant traits, whereas it is becoming clear that root traits are important drivers of many ecosystem processes, such as carbon (C) and nutrient cycling, and the formation and structural stability of soil. Here, we synthesise emerging evidence that illustrates how root traits impact ecosystem processes, and propose a pathway to unravel the complex roles of root traits in driving ecosystem processes and their response to global change. Finally, we identify research challenges and novel technologies to address them.

AB - Ecologists are increasingly adopting trait-based approaches to understand how community change influences ecosystem processes. However, most of this research has focussed on aboveground plant traits, whereas it is becoming clear that root traits are important drivers of many ecosystem processes, such as carbon (C) and nutrient cycling, and the formation and structural stability of soil. Here, we synthesise emerging evidence that illustrates how root traits impact ecosystem processes, and propose a pathway to unravel the complex roles of root traits in driving ecosystem processes and their response to global change. Finally, we identify research challenges and novel technologies to address them.

KW - Carbon cycling

KW - Global change

KW - Nutrient cycling

KW - Plant functional traits

KW - Roots

KW - Soil

KW - Soil structure

U2 - 10.1016/j.tree.2014.10.006

DO - 10.1016/j.tree.2014.10.006

M3 - Review article

C2 - 25459399

AN - SCOPUS:84912117506

VL - 29

SP - 692

EP - 699

JO - Trends in Ecology and Evolution

JF - Trends in Ecology and Evolution

SN - 0169-5347

IS - 12

ER -