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Published on: April 23, 2016
Improving the scale and precision of hypotheses to explain root foraging ability
Steven W Kembel1, Hans De Kroon, James F Cahill
1Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley CA 94720, USA. skembel@berkeley.edu
Annals of Botany
|April 22, 2008
Summary
Plant root foraging precision is linked to rapid growth traits, not spatial scale. This challenges the scale-precision trade-off hypothesis and redefines understanding of plant resource acquisition strategies.
Area of Science:
- Plant Ecology
- Plant Physiology
- Root Biology
Background:
- Numerous hypotheses attempt to explain plant root foraging variation in soil nutrient patches.
- Comparative analyses reveal limited evidence for many proposed hypotheses, questioning the role of resource-foraging ability in plant fitness and community structure.
Discussion:
- This viewpoint addresses Grime's (2007) suggestion regarding the scale-precision trade-off hypothesis.
- A meta-analysis of published data shows no empirical support for a trade-off between foraging scale and precision in root proliferation.
- Foraging precision correlates with plant traits associated with rapid growth and resource uptake, forming part of the 'fast' plant strategy.
Key Insights:
- The scale-precision trade-off hypothesis lacks empirical support.
- Plant foraging precision is associated with a suite of 'fast' traits, including rapid growth and resource uptake rates.
- Existing hypotheses on plant foraging ability may be too narrow.
Outlook:
- Future research should explore correlations between foraging precision and a wider range of plant traits.
- Expanding the concept of resource-foraging ability within plant resource economy strategies is crucial.
- Developing a new, empirically supported framework is needed to understand how resource uptake and allocation plasticity influence plant fitness and community dynamics.
