Maximum rooting depth of vegetation types at the global scale.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Plant Biology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Root depth significantly influences ecosystem hydrological balance and nutrient cycling.
• Understanding maximum rooting depth across biomes is essential for ecological studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing literature on maximum rooting depths of plant species across major terrestrial biomes.
• To analyze rooting depth variations among different biomes and plant functional groups.

Main Methods:

• Compiled 290 observations of maximum rooting depth from scientific literature.
• Included data for 253 woody and herbaceous species across various biomes.

Main Results:

• Maximum rooting depths varied widely, from 0.3 m in tundra to 68 m for *Boscia albitrunca*.
• Globally, the average maximum rooting depth was 4.6±0.5 m.
• Deep roots (≥2 m) are common, with trees averaging 7.0±1.2 m, shrubs 5.1±0.8 m, and herbaceous plants 2.6±0.1 m.

Conclusions:

• Deep root systems are prevalent in many plant species across diverse biomes, exceeding previous assumptions.
• Findings have significant implications for ecosystem function understanding and the development of ecological models.