Contrasting root overwintering strategies of perennial wetland monocots

Root turnover is an important contributor to ecosystem nutrient and carbon cycling, but seasonal aspects of root mortality are not well known. This study tests the hypothesis that in strongly seasonal climates, such as in Northern Ontario, Canada, perennial wetland monocots fall into two distinct categories with respect to their root overwintering strategy: complete senescence or survival over the winter. Root survival in late winter and early spring was tested for a total of 26 species using vitality staining with tetrazolium chloride. Root survival in spring was either over 85% (18 species) or 0% (8 species). Lateral root survival was marginally lower than that of basal roots. In some species, low nutrient supply slightly increased root winter mortality, but did not change the seasonal pattern. We conclude that in a northern temperate climate, the overwintering strategies of roots of herbaceous monocots are binary: either avoidance or tolerance of the long unfavourable season, similar to deciduous and evergreen leaves among woody plants. Roots do not gradually die during the unfavourable season, but either completely senesce in the autumn or survive the winter. The distinct root overwintering strategies presumably affect the species’ resource economics and ecosystem processes.

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