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The origin and early evolution of roots.
Paul Kenrick1, Christine Strullu-Derrien2
1Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom p.kenrick@nhm.ac.uk.
Plant Physiology
|September 5, 2014
Summary
Fossils reveal that early plant roots evolved independently multiple times, forming complex systems with diverse fungal partners. This evolution significantly impacted early forest ecosystems and the global carbon cycle.
Area of Science:
- Paleobotany
- Evolutionary Biology
- Geochemistry
Background:
- Exceptional fossil sites offer crucial context for studying root evolution.
- Early plant soft tissues and ecological data are preserved in some sites.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the origins, interactions, and diversity of early rooting systems.
- Understand the independent evolution of roots and their regulatory mechanisms.
- Explore the impact of root evolution on the geochemical carbon cycle.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of exceptionally preserved fossils from geological sites.
- Examination of fossilized plant soft tissues and associated fungal remains.
- Comparative analysis of root development across different clades.
Main Results:
- Mycorrhizal symbionts were diverse even in early rhizoid-based systems.
- Roots evolved independently and piecemeal across major clades during the Devonian Period.
- Polar auxin transport was independently recruited for wood and root development in extinct clades.
Conclusions:
- Root evolution was a complex, multi-stage process with independent origins.
- Early root systems engaged in diverse symbiotic relationships with fungi.
- Root evolution has profound implications for geochemical cycles, linking plant physiology and geochemistry.
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