Abstract
A method is described for sampling rhizosphere soil under newly establishedPicea sitchensis andAcer pseudoplatanus. The technique involves taking soil samples to a depth of 150 mm at 100 mm intervals along transects, each 45° from its neighbour, radiating from the base of the stem. Invertase activities were measured in the soil samples and compared to their activities in fallow and rhizosphere soils. When the field soil was dry, the tree root systems were carefully excavated to retain as many fine roots as possible. The distribution of the soil invertase was matched to the spatial distribution of the roots showing the precise position of the rhizosphere relative to the initial ‘blind’ soil sampling. Statistics were applied to derive equations for calculating the percentage enzyme activity relative to that found in rhizosphere soil at various locations radiating from the base of the stem. This information was subsequently applied to soil sampled under trees of the same age as those excavated to give a non-destructive method for sampling rhizosphere soil routinely from under a large number of trees.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
CampbellR and GreavesM P 1990 Anatomy and community structure of the rhizosphere.In The Rhizosphere. Ed. J MLynch. pp 11–34. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester.
CheshireM V and MundieC M 1990 Organic matter contributed to soil by plant roots during the growth and decomposition of maize. Plant and Soil 121, 107–114.
EscamillaJ A, ComerfordN B and NearyD G 1991 Soil-core break method to estimate pine root distribution. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 55, 1722–1726.
HarperJ L, JonesM and Sackville HamiltonN R 1990 The evolution of roots and the problems of analysing their behaviour.In Plant Root Growth — An Ecological Perspective. Ed. DAtkinson. pp 49–59. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
Lambers H 1987 Growth, respiration and symbiotic associations: the fate of carbon translocated to roots.In Root Development and Function. Eds. P J Gregory, J V Lake and D A Rose. pp 125–145. Cambridge University Press.
LillyA 1990 The soils of the Lower Affleck farm forestry experimental site. Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Aberdeen, April 1990.
Marschner H 1991 Plant-soil relationships: acquisition of mineral nutrients by roots from soils.In Plant Growth: Interactions with Nutrition and Environment. Eds. J R Porter and D W Lawlor. pp 125–155. Cambridge University Press.
SparlingG P 1985 The soil biomass.In Soil Organic Matter and Biological Activity. Eds. DVaughan and R EMalcolm. pp 223–262. Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht.
VaughanD and MalcolmR E 1984 Influence of assay conditions on invertase activity in different Scottish soils. Plant and Soil 76, 339–347.
Whipps and LynchJ M 1986 The influence of the rhizosphere on crop productivity. Adv. Microb. Ecol. 9, 187–244.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vaughan, D., Ord, B.G., Buckland, S.T. et al. Distribution of soil invertase in relation to the root systems ofPicea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. andAcer pseudoplatanus L. during development of young plants. Plant Soil 167, 73–77 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01587601
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01587601