Temperate forests cover 16% of the global forest area. Within these forests, the understorey
is an important biodiversity reservoir that can influence ecosystem processes and functions …

There is plenty of evidence for improved nutrient acquisition by ectomycorrhizas in trees;
however, their role in water uptake is much less clear. In addition to experiments showing …

Shallow groundwater affects terrestrial ecosystems by sustaining river base-flow and root-
zone soil water in the absence of rain, but little is known about the global patterns of water …

The decade since the publication of the third edition of this volume has been an era of great
progress in biology in general and the plant sciences in particular. This is especially true …

While the number of studies dealing with fine root dynamics in deep soils layers (depth> 1
m) has increased sharply recently, the phenology, the morphology, the anatomy and the role …

Plant interactions play a key role in forest ecosystem dynamics. The tallest plants, namely
the overstorey trees, are obvious major drivers, particularly in competition for light. This …

Fine roots form one of the most significant components contributing to carbon cycling in
forest ecosystems. We study here the effect of variation in root diameter classes, sampling …

Optimal resource partitioning theory predicts that plants should increase the ratio between
water absorbing and transpiring surfaces under short water supply. An increase in fine root …

Microbial biomass phosphorus (P) can play an important role in P cycling and availability to
plants by acting as a source (remineralization) or sink (immobilization) of phosphate ions …

Fungi have important roles as decomposers, mycorrhizal root symbionts and pathogens in
forest ecosystems, but there is limited information about their diversity and composition at …