In a study published in Trees Structure and Function, Ala Musa and his colleagues from the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences examined the root distribution characteristics of Mongolian pines in relation to soil water content and groundwater table. They found that fine roots which show an hourglass-shape distribution have a strong relationship with water utilization.
The proportion of fine roots is much higher in shallow (5–35 cm; 44.67%) and deep (85–145 cm; 43.53%) soil layers than that in the middle layer (35–85 cm; 11.8%), displaying a pattern that is consistent with the vertical distribution pattern of soil water content.
The depth of groundwater table in the Mongolian pine plantation increases from May to October, with an average depth of 251 cm, showing a seasonal pattern.
Rainfall and groundwater control the pattern of soil moisture in Mongolian pine plantations, and in turn affect the root distribution characteristics of these pines.
This study showed that whether deep roots of Mongolian pines can effectively obtain water underground determines the survival and growth of these pine plantations in the western Horqin Sandy Land.
The Taklimakan Desert is one of the most arid areas in the world, where the average annual precipitation is less than 50 mm. The survival of natural plants in such an extremely arid environment is a result of evolutionary adaptation to the extreme environment. In the arid...
Chinese researchers from the Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have disclosed that precipitation was more important for soil moisture changes in the karst areas of China than temperature. The researchers suggested that the soil drying trend and ...
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