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Classification of Root Systems of Forbs of Grassland and a Consideration of Their Significance J University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Agronomy & Horticulture -- Faculty Publications Agronomy and Horticulture Department 7-1958 Classification of Root Systems of orbsF of Grassland and a Consideration of Their Significance J. E. Weaver University of Nebraska-Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronomyfacpub Part of the Plant Sciences Commons Weaver, J. E., "Classification of Root Systems of orbsF of Grassland and a Consideration of Their Significance" (1958). Agronomy & Horticulture -- Faculty Publications. 483. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronomyfacpub/483 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Agronomy and Horticulture Department at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Agronomy & Horticulture -- Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Copyright 1958 Ecological Society of America VOL. 39 JULY, 1958 No. 3 CLASSIFICATION OF ROOT SYSTEMS OF FORBS OF GRASSLAND AND A CONSIDERATION OF THEIR SIGNIFICANCE J. E. WEAVER Department of Botany, University of Nebraska, Lincoln Plants other than grasses constitute an impor- turity. Hence, they may absorb partly below the tant part of the native grasslands of North Amer- root zone of grasses and thus lessen root compe- ica. M\4ostof these are forbs, a few are shrubs tition. Perhaps 90 percent of the abundant forbs, and half-shrubs. Probably 85 to 90 percent of like most prairie grasses, are not only perennial the forbs are perennial and most are as deeply but have a life span extending over a long period rooted and many far more deeply rooted than the of years. grasses. Their number varies considerably from The root habits of a large number of species of place to place. In the prairie of the central part forbs have been examined during a period of sev- of the North American Lowland and on the hard eral years throughout a wide territory from west- lands and sandy soils of the Great Plains they ern Iowa, through Nebraska and Kansas, to the compose, perhaps, between 5 and 15 percent of mountains of Colorado. Nearly all of the root the vegetation. They are least abundant in the systems studied were those of mature perennial drier habitats. plants, undisturbed by grazing. Nearly always 3 A recent summary of the community root habits to 8 plants of a species were examined. Draw- of grasses and an interpretation of the findings ings were made simultaneously with the excavat- included a discussion of soils and climate of each ing of the roots and always to exact measurements. of these extensive areas (Weaver 1958). Hence In the drawings the roots were arranged as nearly this ileed not be repeated here. Suffice it to say as possible in their natural position in a vertical and that in mixed prairie westward the drier air plane. At each examination the work extended limiting decreased water content of soil become over a field sufficiently large, sometimes several decrease gradually in factors for growth. Forbs square miles in extent, so that the effects of any number, size of individuals, and in the extent of local differences in soil texture or structure were their groupings in societies. This condition pre- largely eliminated. vails despite the fact that the more mesic species are replaced by more xerophytic of prairie largely GROUPS OF FORBS BASED UPON THE NATURE OF ones of the Great Plains. THEIR ROOT SYSTEMS Forbs accommodate themselves not only to the An examination of results shows that the root climate but also to the environment imposed upon patterns fall naturally into rather distinct groups. them by the grasses. On lowland prairie most clarifies a confusion of details and forbs are tall. They grow even more rapidly than This grouping basis for considering the gen- the grasses and may for a long time or continu- furnishes a logical environ- ously overtop them. Many other species flourish eral root development in relation to the of extensive oni upland true prairie where they form extensive ment as modified by the presence societies. Much competition occurs between stands of competing grasses. grasses and forbs, not only for light but also for Group I water and nutrients. Roots of most grasses occupy only the first 4 to 6 feet of soil. Usually forbs Plants in the first group are characterized by are more deeply rooted. Their roots have rates a taproot with widely spreading branches which of growth not unlike those of grasses and depths arise mostly in the first three feet of soil and of 3 to more than 4 feet may be attained during penetrate deeply. There is relatively little or no the first growing season and 8 to 15 feet at ma- provision for much absorption in the surface foot 394 J. E. WEAVER Ecology, Vol. 39, No. 3 TABLE 1. Depth and lateral spread in feet and general distribution of species in group 1. (See text for explana- I I tion of symbols in last column) 2 1. Argemoneplatyceras. 12 2 M Prickly poppy 2. Astragalus crassicarpus... 7-12 1.5 PM Ground plum 3. Astragalus drummondi.... 4-5 3 M Drummond vetch 4 4. Astragalus gracilis....... 4-5 1.5 M Slender loco 5. Eriogonum microthecum... 8-10+ 2.5 MS Slenderbush eriogonum 6. Glycyrrhizalepidota ...... 10-13+ 2-3 P Licorice 6 7. Haplopappus spinulosus. 4.5-5 1.5 M Cut-leaved goldenweed 8. Kuhnia eupatorioides... 12-17 1.5 PM False boneset 9. Lespedezacapitata ....... 7-8 2.5 P Bush clover 10. Liatris punctata......... 11-16 3.5 PM Blazing star 11. Oenotheralatifolia....... 7-9+ 3 MS 9 An evening primrose 12. Petalostemumcandidum... 6-7 1.5 PM White prairie clover 13. Petalostemum purpureum. 6-8 1.5 PMS Purple prairie clover 14. Petalostemumvillosum.... 4-5 2.5 S Hairy prairie clover 15. Psoralea tenuiflora....... 7-14 1-2 PM Psoralea or scurfpea 12 16. Ratibida columnifera. 3.5 1 PM Prairie coneflower 13 17. Ipomoea leptophylla...... 9-10+ 25+ S Bush morning-glory 14 roots, mostly horizontal in the first 5 feet, is enor- 15 mous; they run off to distances of 15 to 25 feet or more. Drawings made to scale of any of the roots of FIG. 1. Root system of blazing star (Liatris piuictata). plants 1 to 16 when superimposed on that of the blazing star show great similarity in general pat- of soil. This root type is well exemplified by blaz- tern. Many of these together with photographs ing star (Liatris punctata) in Figure 1. may be found in "The Ecological Relations of Table I shows the depth, lateral spread, and Roots" and "Root Development in the Grassland general distribution of the species in group I. Formation" (Weaver 1919; 1920). In none do Column 1 gives the usual depth of penetration in the roots extend laterally more widely, and only feet; column 2 shows the lateral spread (the radial those of false boneset (Kuhnia eupatorioides) distance to which roots spread from the base of penetrate deeper. the plant) ; and the letters indicate their general of distribution in true prairie (P), mixed-prairie Plants Astragalus gracilis, Glycyrrhiza lepi- are sometimes con- hard lands (M), or mixed-prairie sand (S). dota and Oenothera latifolia nected by underground parts. The last species in Table I requires explanation. in this absorb The greatly enlarged taproot of bush morning- Plants group probably mostly glory is often 12 or more inches in diameter in the from depths greater than those most densely occu- second and third foot of soil. More slender tap- pied by the roots of grasses. At least their effect roots, 3 to 5 inches thick, may maintain their upon the grass is usually not marked except width to 4 feet. At depths of 4 to 5 feet the tap- where they occur in unusually dense stands. False root often breaks up into a large number of deeply boneset and bush morning-glory are exceptions. penetrating branches. Lateral spread of branch Grasses beneath these plants are shaded out by the dense foliage. To occupy the soil below the grass, ' Nomenclature of forbs follows Gleason's New Britton and Brown Illustrated Flora (1952) or Harrington's roots must extend deeply. In lowlands of true Manual of the Plants of Colorado (1954). prairie the grass roots are coarsest, least branched, July, 1958 ROOT SYSTEMS OF GRASSLAND FORBS 395 but deepest. Those of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) extend downward 7 feet. On upland prairie the grass roots are moderately fine, pro- fusely branched, and 4 to 5.5 feet deep. Grasses of the hard lands of mixed prairie have the finest and most profusely branched roots. They are usually 4 to 5 deep (Weaver 1958). This type of root system, which is the most com- mon one to most of us, was found on only about one-fourth of 65 species examined. Type I occurs widely in both true prairie and plains hard lands and is often found in sandy soil. 2 Group II f t. In the second group, plants have taproots with maximum spread of abundant laterals in the sur- face 1 to 2 feet of soil where extensive branching provides for much absorption (Table II). Broom snakeweed (Gu.tierrezia sarothrae) and hairy golden aster (Chrysopsis villosa) are representa- 3 tive species (Figs. 2 and 3). Fringed sage (Arte- misia frigida) and broom snakeweed are plants with woody bases but they are grouped here for convenience. TABLE 11. Depth and lateral spread in feet and general distribution of species found in group 11 4 - 1. Artemisia canadensis..... 7-8 2.5 MS Canada sage 2. Arlemisia frigida ........ 6-8 1.5 M Fringed sage 3.
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