Aspen Bibliography

Rooting Depths and Successional Development of Selected Boreal Forest Communities

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Canadian Journal of Forest Research

Volume

13

Issue

4

First Page

577

Last Page

588

Publication Date

1983

Abstract

The root density and depth patterns of four boreal forest age sequences were analyzed for successional trends. Rooting depths increased with age on sandy substrates which supported aspen (Populustremuloides Michx.) and jack pine (Pinusbanksiana Lamb.) communities. Rooting depth did not change in an aspen series on fine-textured substrates or in a black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) BSP) series growing on organic substrates. Plant communities growing on mineral soils showed a decrease in near-surface root densities and understory vascular plant cover with increasing age. Maximum rooting was deepest on sandy substrates and shallowest on organic deposits. Roots in all stands were concentrated near the ground surface. In most cases 50% of all roots were located within 15 cm of the forest floor. Root densities in this zone ranged from 11 000 to 30 000 roots m−2 of vertical surface. Densities were approximately 4300 roots m−2 for the overall rooting zone.

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