Zhou Mingxin, Li Yibo, Zhang Kun, Wang Jingying, Li Jihao, Gao Kai, Wang Bo
Heilongjiang Institute of Construction Technology, Harbin, 150001, China.
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 May 23;15(1):17926. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-02768-4.
Root mechanical traits, including load for failure in tension (F), tensile strength (T), tensile strain (ε), modulus of elasticity (E), and tensile toughness (W), are critical for plant anchorage and soil stability. These traits are shaped by root morphology, type (absorptive and transport roots), and mycorrhizal associations (arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi). This study investigates the relationships among these traits. We examined mechanical traits across eight woody species with different mycorrhizal associations, categorizing roots into absorptive and transport types. Root morphological traits - root diameter (RD), specific root length (SRL), root tissue density (RTD), and root biomass (RB) - were measured. Tensile tests were conducted to assess mechanical properties. Statistical analyses, including regression and principal component analysis (PCA), were used to elucidate trait relationships. Transport roots exhibited superior mechanical properties compared to absorptive roots, with RD and RB showing significant positive correlations with mechanical traits. AM roots demonstrated higher tensile strength, strain, and toughness than EM roots. PCA highlighted RD and SRL as dominant factors influencing root mechanical performance, while RB contributed significantly to transport roots' structural stability. This study underscores the critical role of root morphological traits and mycorrhizal associations in determining mechanical performance. These findings highlight the ecological trade-offs between mechanical stability and resource acquisition, offering novel insights into root functional strategies and their implications for ecosystem stability.
根系机械特性，包括抗张破坏载荷（F）、抗张强度（T）、抗张应变（ε）、弹性模量（E）和抗张韧性（W），对于植物固着和土壤稳定性至关重要。这些特性受根系形态、类型（吸收根和运输根）以及菌根共生关系（丛枝菌根真菌和外生菌根真菌）的影响。本研究调查了这些特性之间的关系。我们研究了八种具有不同菌根共生关系的木本植物的机械特性，将根系分为吸收根和运输根类型。测量了根系形态特征——根直径（RD）、比根长（SRL）、根组织密度（RTD）和根生物量（RB）。进行了拉伸试验以评估机械性能。采用包括回归分析和主成分分析（PCA）在内的统计分析方法来阐明特性之间的关系。与吸收根相比，运输根表现出更好的机械性能，RD和RB与机械特性呈显著正相关。丛枝菌根根系的抗张强度、应变和韧性高于外生菌根根系。主成分分析突出了RD和SRL是影响根系机械性能的主要因素，而RB对运输根的结构稳定性有显著贡献。本研究强调了根系形态特征和菌根共生关系在决定机械性能方面的关键作用。这些发现突出了机械稳定性和资源获取之间的生态权衡，为根系功能策略及其对生态系统稳定性的影响提供了新的见解。
