Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Measuring tree root respiration using (13)C natural abundance: rooting medium matters.

Weixin Cheng1, Shenglei Fu, Richard B Susfalk

  • 1University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA. wxcheng@ucsc.edu

The New Phytologist
|June 14, 2005
PubMed
Summary

A new natural tracer method accurately measures tree root respiration in situ. This technique, using (13)C, reveals how rooting media significantly impact respiration rates in forest ecosystems.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Interactive canopy nitrogen and water additions delay phenology in a warm-temperate forest.

Journal of advanced research·2026
Same author

The impact of microplastics on soil micro-food webs is regulated by biochar and earthworms.

Ecotoxicology and environmental safety·2026
Same author

A One-Step Dual Chromogenic Plate Assay for Reliable Screening of Naringinase-Producing Microorganisms.

Journal of basic microbiology·2026
Same author

<i>Formosa sejongensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Polaromonas potterensis</i> sp. nov., isolated from King George Island, Antarctica.

International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology·2026
Same author

MAPK/PMK-1 innate immune signaling protects the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans from increased intestinal colonization in an animal host-pathogen model in space.

NPJ microgravity·2026
Same author

Heteroresistance to amikacin in <i>Klebsiella aerogenes</i> isolates from patients in an intensive care unit in Brazil.

Microbiology spectrum·2026

Area of Science:

  • Forest Ecology
  • Plant Physiology
  • Biogeochemical Cycles

Background:

  • Tree root respiration is a significant component of forest primary production and the global carbon cycle.
  • In situ root respiration is understudied due to a lack of ecologically relevant measurement methods compared to above-ground processes.
  • Existing methods like root excision may not accurately reflect natural conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and validate a novel natural tracer method for measuring tree root respiration in situ.
  • To partition tree root respiration from total soil respiration.
  • To assess the influence of different rooting media on measured root respiration rates.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a (13)C natural tracer technique for in situ root respiration measurement.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Utilization of buried root chambers to isolate and measure root respiration.
  • Comparison of results with the traditional root excision method across various rooting media.

    • Main Results:

    • Rooting media significantly influenced longleaf pine fine root respiration rates (e.g., 0.78 vs. 0.18 mg CO2-C mg-1 root N d-1).
    • The (13)C tracer method showed varying differences (18% higher to 42% lower) compared to root excision depending on the rooting medium.
    • The new method demonstrated its capability for non-destructive measurement in natural forest settings.

    Conclusions:

    • The novel (13)C natural tracer method provides a more ecologically relevant approach to studying in situ tree root respiration.
    • Rooting medium is a critical factor affecting root respiration measurements, highlighting the limitations of artificial media.
    • This non-destructive technique facilitates accurate root respiration assessment under natural forest conditions.