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 Concept Videos

Meristems and Plant Growth02:36

Meristems and Plant Growth

36.3K
Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.
36.3K
Basic Plant Anatomy: Roots, Stems, and Leaves02:27

Basic Plant Anatomy: Roots, Stems, and Leaves

50.1K
The primary organs of vascular plants are roots, stems, and leaves, but these structures can be highly variable, adapted for the specific needs and environment of different plant species.
50.1K
Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots03:02

Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots

46.7K
Vascular plants, which account for over 90% of the Earth’s vegetation, all undergo primary growth—which lengthens roots and shoots. Many land plants, notably woody plants, also undergo secondary growth—which thickens roots and shoots.
46.7K
Water and Mineral Acquisition02:34

Water and Mineral Acquisition

24.3K
Specialized tissues in plant roots have evolved to capture water, minerals, and some ions from the soil. Roots exhibit a variety of branching patterns that facilitate this process. The outermost root cells have specialized structures called root hairs that increase the root surface, thus increasing soil contact. Water can passively cross into roots, as the concentration of water in the soil is higher than that of the root tissue. Minerals, in contrast, are actively transported into root cells.
24.3K
Whole Body Regeneration01:33

Whole Body Regeneration

3.6K
Regeneration is the process of restoring injured or lost tissues, organs, or body parts. While simpler organisms generally show greater ability to regenerate their whole body, few complex animals show similarly exceptional regeneration. For example, planarian flatworms have a unique regenerative potential making them a popular study organism among biologists to understand the mechanisms of whole body regeneration. Other organisms, such as hydra, also show extreme regeneration potential;...
3.6K
Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells01:23

Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells

2.7K
The intestinal epithelial lining rapidly renews every 4 to 5 days. The renewal is facilitated by intestinal stem cells (ISCs) located at the base of the crypt– a gland located at the bottom of each villus. ISCs divide asymmetrically to form new stem cells and progenitor daughter cells. The daughter cells are called transit-amplifying (TA) cells which move upwards along the crypt and either differentiate into absorptive cells– the enterocytes or secretory cells– including the...
2.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Control of strawberry ripening through melatonin-auxin association.

Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB·2026
Same author

Improving tomato production while preserving fruit quality with Carpobrotus edulis extract as a biostimulant: a valorization approach for an invasive plant species.

Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology·2026
Same author

Forests shaped by historical human tragedies: Insights from Europe's oldest angiosperms.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Vestigial plastids.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same author

Fine scale gene expression dynamics at the foliar level reveal grapevine strategies to cope with recurrent drought stress.

BMC plant biology·2026
Same author

Evolutionary shifts in plant adaptation mediated by phytohormones.

Plant communications·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 2, 2026

A Method to Preserve Wetland Roots and Rhizospheres for Elemental Imaging
06:29

A Method to Preserve Wetland Roots and Rhizospheres for Elemental Imaging

Published on: February 15, 2021

2.9K

Perennial roots to immortality.

Sergi Munné-Bosch1

  • 1Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain smunne@ub.edu.

Plant Physiology
|February 25, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Plant longevity varies significantly, with clonal growth and root adaptations playing key roles in maximum lifespan. Understanding these factors is crucial for plant survival and evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Botany
  • Plant Physiology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Maximum lifespan in species is highly variable and not fixed, influenced by evolution.
  • Clonal growth significantly impacts maximum lifespan, with clonal plants exhibiting much longer lifespans than nonclonal ones.
  • Perennial plants show diverse aging patterns, including negative senescence, where performance improves with age.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the critical role of roots in perennial plant longevity.
  • To explore how root characteristics contribute to plant adaptation and survival in different habitats.
  • To highlight areas requiring further investigation regarding root function and plant aging.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of maximum lifespans in clonal and nonclonal plants.

More Related Videos

Poplar Adventitious Roots Induced by Stem Canker Pathogens: An Experimental System for Studying Roots Biology and Light Response-Related Processes
08:04

Poplar Adventitious Roots Induced by Stem Canker Pathogens: An Experimental System for Studying Roots Biology and Light Response-Related Processes

Published on: October 11, 2024

601
Inoculation Strategies to Infect Plant Roots with Soil-Borne Microorganisms
08:16

Inoculation Strategies to Infect Plant Roots with Soil-Borne Microorganisms

Published on: March 1, 2022

6.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 2, 2026

A Method to Preserve Wetland Roots and Rhizospheres for Elemental Imaging
06:29

A Method to Preserve Wetland Roots and Rhizospheres for Elemental Imaging

Published on: February 15, 2021

2.9K
Poplar Adventitious Roots Induced by Stem Canker Pathogens: An Experimental System for Studying Roots Biology and Light Response-Related Processes
08:04

Poplar Adventitious Roots Induced by Stem Canker Pathogens: An Experimental System for Studying Roots Biology and Light Response-Related Processes

Published on: October 11, 2024

601
Inoculation Strategies to Infect Plant Roots with Soil-Borne Microorganisms
08:16

Inoculation Strategies to Infect Plant Roots with Soil-Borne Microorganisms

Published on: March 1, 2022

6.6K
  • Review of existing literature on plant aging patterns and life history traits.
  • Examination of root specificities in perennial plants, including meristem indeterminacy and modular growth.

    • Main Results:

    • Clonal plants like Lomatia tasmanica can live for tens of thousands of years, far exceeding nonclonal species such as Pinus longaeva.
    • Perennial plants exhibit a wide range of maximum lifespans and aging strategies, from deterioration to improved performance with age.
    • Root characteristics such as indeterminacy, modular growth, and stress resistance are vital for perenniality and habitat adaptation.

    Conclusions:

    • Root systems are fundamental to the longevity of perennial plants.
    • Species-specific life history traits and evolved mechanisms, particularly root-related ones, drive diverse aging patterns and adaptation.
    • Further research is needed to fully understand the multifaceted role of roots in perennial plant lifespan and evolution.