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Tree growth is better explained by absorptive fine root traits than by transport fine root traits

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Tree growth is better explained by absorptive fine root traits than by transport fine root traits. / Sanaei, Anvar; van der Plas, Fons; Chen, Hongmei et al.
In: Communications Biology, Vol. 8, No. 1, 313, 26.02.2025.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Sanaei, A, van der Plas, F, Chen, H, Davids, S, Eckhardt, S, Hennecke, J, Kahl, A, Möller, Y, Richter, R, Schütze, J, Wirth, C & Weigelt, A 2025, 'Tree growth is better explained by absorptive fine root traits than by transport fine root traits', Communications Biology, vol. 8, no. 1, 313. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07756-y

APA

Sanaei, A., van der Plas, F., Chen, H., Davids, S., Eckhardt, S., Hennecke, J., Kahl, A., Möller, Y., Richter, R., Schütze, J., Wirth, C., & Weigelt, A. (2025). Tree growth is better explained by absorptive fine root traits than by transport fine root traits. Communications Biology, 8(1), Article 313. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07756-y

Vancouver

Sanaei A, van der Plas F, Chen H, Davids S, Eckhardt S, Hennecke J et al. Tree growth is better explained by absorptive fine root traits than by transport fine root traits. Communications Biology. 2025 Feb 26;8(1):313. doi: 10.1038/s42003-025-07756-y

Author

Sanaei, Anvar ; van der Plas, Fons ; Chen, Hongmei et al. / Tree growth is better explained by absorptive fine root traits than by transport fine root traits. In: Communications Biology. 2025 ; Vol. 8, No. 1.

Bibtex

@article{ff8ca9d406b44cfd96bd4a32b68f7446,
title = "Tree growth is better explained by absorptive fine root traits than by transport fine root traits",
abstract = "Although the interest in root traits has increased in recent years, we still have limited knowledge of (i) whether functionally different fine roots—absorptive versus transport roots—have similar trait coordination and (ii) how they help to explain plant performance, such as growth. We measured traits of 25 European broadleaved tree species growing in a research arboretum to study (i) the coordination of root traits within absorptive and transport fine roots and (ii) the degree of trait-tree growth relationships. To do so, we combined a suite of morphological and anatomical traits for each of the absorptive and transport roots. Despite remarkable differences in average trait values between absorptive and transport roots, our study shows that trait coordination within absorptive and transport roots is relatively similar. Our results also show that, for the selected traits, tree growth is better explained by absorptive root traits than by transport root traits and is higher in species with thinner roots. The stronger relationship between absorptive roots and tree growth highlights that roots mostly involved with resource absorption are more important in explaining tree growth than transport roots, which are mainly responsible for resource transportation.",
author = "Anvar Sanaei and {van der Plas}, Fons and Hongmei Chen and Sophie Davids and Susanne Eckhardt and Justus Hennecke and Anja Kahl and Yasmin M{\"o}ller and Ronny Richter and Jana Sch{\"u}tze and Christian Wirth and Alexandra Weigelt",
year = "2025",
month = feb,
day = "26",
doi = "10.1038/s42003-025-07756-y",
language = "English",
volume = "8",
journal = "Communications Biology",
issn = "2399-3642",
publisher = "Nature Research",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Tree growth is better explained by absorptive fine root traits than by transport fine root traits

AU - Sanaei, Anvar

AU - van der Plas, Fons

AU - Chen, Hongmei

AU - Davids, Sophie

AU - Eckhardt, Susanne

AU - Hennecke, Justus

AU - Kahl, Anja

AU - Möller, Yasmin

AU - Richter, Ronny

AU - Schütze, Jana

AU - Wirth, Christian

AU - Weigelt, Alexandra

PY - 2025/2/26

Y1 - 2025/2/26

N2 - Although the interest in root traits has increased in recent years, we still have limited knowledge of (i) whether functionally different fine roots—absorptive versus transport roots—have similar trait coordination and (ii) how they help to explain plant performance, such as growth. We measured traits of 25 European broadleaved tree species growing in a research arboretum to study (i) the coordination of root traits within absorptive and transport fine roots and (ii) the degree of trait-tree growth relationships. To do so, we combined a suite of morphological and anatomical traits for each of the absorptive and transport roots. Despite remarkable differences in average trait values between absorptive and transport roots, our study shows that trait coordination within absorptive and transport roots is relatively similar. Our results also show that, for the selected traits, tree growth is better explained by absorptive root traits than by transport root traits and is higher in species with thinner roots. The stronger relationship between absorptive roots and tree growth highlights that roots mostly involved with resource absorption are more important in explaining tree growth than transport roots, which are mainly responsible for resource transportation.

AB - Although the interest in root traits has increased in recent years, we still have limited knowledge of (i) whether functionally different fine roots—absorptive versus transport roots—have similar trait coordination and (ii) how they help to explain plant performance, such as growth. We measured traits of 25 European broadleaved tree species growing in a research arboretum to study (i) the coordination of root traits within absorptive and transport fine roots and (ii) the degree of trait-tree growth relationships. To do so, we combined a suite of morphological and anatomical traits for each of the absorptive and transport roots. Despite remarkable differences in average trait values between absorptive and transport roots, our study shows that trait coordination within absorptive and transport roots is relatively similar. Our results also show that, for the selected traits, tree growth is better explained by absorptive root traits than by transport root traits and is higher in species with thinner roots. The stronger relationship between absorptive roots and tree growth highlights that roots mostly involved with resource absorption are more important in explaining tree growth than transport roots, which are mainly responsible for resource transportation.

U2 - 10.1038/s42003-025-07756-y

DO - 10.1038/s42003-025-07756-y

M3 - Journal article

VL - 8

JO - Communications Biology

JF - Communications Biology

SN - 2399-3642

IS - 1

M1 - 313

ER -