title: The influence of slope on Spartium junceum root system: morphological, anatomical and biomechanical adaptation.
abstract: Root systems have a pivotal role in plant anchorage and their mechanical interactions with the soil may contribute to soil reinforcement and stabilization of slide-prone slopes. In order to understand the responses of root system to mechanical stress induced by slope, samples of Spartium junceum L., growing in slope and in plane natural conditions, were compared in their morphology, biomechanical properties and anatomical features. Soils sampled in slope and plane revealed similar characteristics, with the exception of organic matter content and penetrometer resistance, both higher in slope. Slope significantly influenced root morphology and in particular the distribution of lateral roots along the soil depth. Indeed, first-order lateral roots of plants growing on slope condition showed an asymmetric distribution between up- and down-slope. Contrarily, this asymmetric distribution was not observed in plants growing in plane. The tensile strength was higher in lateral roots growing up-slope and in plane conditions than in those growing down-slope. Anatomical investigations revealed that, while roots grown up-slope had higher area covered by xylem fibers, the ratio of xylem and phloem fibers to root diameter did not differ among the three conditions, as also, no differences were found for xylem fiber cell wall thickness. Roots growing up-slope were the main contributors to anchorage properties, which included higher strength and higher number of fibers in the xylematic tissues. Results suggested that a combination of root-specific morphological, anatomical and biomechanical traits, determines anchorage functions in slope conditions.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di AGRARIA, Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, Loc. Feo di Vito, 89122, Reggio Calabria, Italy. fabio.lombardi@unirc.it.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Bioscienze e Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090, Pesche, Is, Italy.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Scippa
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Bioscienze e Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090, Pesche, Is, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lasserre
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita, Università dell'Insubria, 21100, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montagnoli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Bioscienze e Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090, Pesche, Is, Italy.|The EFI project centre on mountain forests (MOUNTFOR), Edmund Mach Foundation, Via Edmund Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige, Tn, 38010, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tognetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Bioscienze e Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090, Pesche, Is, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita, Università dell'Insubria, 21100, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chiatante
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology*; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002473:Cell Wall; D007558:Italy; D008954:Models, Biological; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D031302:Spartium / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D052584:Xylem / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: First-order lateral roots; Mechanical stresses; Slope condition; Spartium junceum L.; Tensile strength; Wood anatomy