Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39230172›Full record

ArticleAnnals of botany2025

Two grasses differ in their absorptive root physiological traits and rooting depth under drought in an alpine steppe.

Zhi Zheng, Yurui Zhang, Ziyue Li, Feifei Dong, Lijuan Chen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of botany, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Endophytic Colonization ofInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Zhi ZhengCollege of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
Yurui ZhangCollege of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
Ziyue LiState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10093, China.
Feifei DongCollege of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
Lijuan ChenCollege of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 32060286Natural Science Foundation of Gansu 21JR7RA112
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsAbsorptive root traits play important roles in acquisition of water and nutrients from soil by plants. Despite numerous reports on the changes in species dominance under long-term drought in grassland communities, few studies have specifically investigated absorptive root traits of these dominant species in grasslands, especially in alpine grasslands.

methodsHere, two grass species (Leymus secalinus and Stipa purpurea) differing in their responses to drought were selected from an alpine steppe. A series of absorptive root traits were examined under drought in a 3-year glasshouse experiment. KEY

resultsWe found that drought had no effects on root morphological and architectural traits, whereas root physiological traits and rooting depth differed in their responses to drought. Specifically, drought significantly reduced root respiration and enhanced organ carbon (C) exudation rate, carboxylate exudation rate, acid phosphatase activity and rooting depth of L. secalinus. In particular, L. secalinus released more citrate into the rhizosphere under drought than S. purpurea. In contrast, these root traits of S. purpurea remained relatively unchanged in response to the drought. These differential responses would render L. secalinus more competitive in acquisition of nutrients and water, thus contributing to its dominance in the community under drought. Moreover, root respiration was negatively correlated with organic C exudation rate, carboxylate exudation rate and acid phosphatase activity, indicating a trade-off between root respiration and root exudates to acquire nutrients and water by optimizing C allocation under drought. Additionally, all root traits exhibited two independent dimensions in root economic space for both species under drought.

conclusionsThese results indicate that the plant species with great capacity to acquire water and nutrients in soil by optimizing C allocation under drought will be dominant in the community of the alpine grasslands. These findings provide an important insight into species re-ordering under drought on the Tibetan Plateau.

Indexed as

DroughtsPlant RootsPoaceaeCarbonGrasslandSoilWaterCarbonSoilWaterabsorptive root traitsalpine steppeDroughtLeymus secalinusroot exudatesStipa purpurea

Identifiers

PMID39230172
PMCPMC12683170

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.