Abiotic and biotic factors controlling fine root biomass, carbon and nutrients in closed-canopy hybrid poplar stands on post-agricultural land

Fine roots (diameter <2 mm) have a pivotal role in resource acquisition, symbiosis development, and for elemental cycling in forests. Various abiotic and biotic factors affect their biomass and nutrient content. Understanding the effect of these factors on root traits could improve biogeochemical modelling, nutrient management and ecosystem services provision in planted forests. Data from 14-year old poplars planted along a fertility/climatic gradient in Southeastern Canada, show that live fine root biomass varied with genotype and environment, was negatively correlated to soil fertility, and uncorrelated to tree size. Dead fine root biomass varied with genotype and peaked during fall and in colder environments with slower element cycling. Root chemistry also varied with environment, genotype and season. The genotype producing recalcitrant leaf litter had the highest root biomass, suggesting a compensation strategy. Along the studied gradient, plasticity level observed for some root traits (biomass, element contents) was genotype-specific and high for some genotypes. Regionally, such plasticity patterns should be considered in elemental budgets, for nutrient management and ecosystem services provision in plantations (carbon storage, nutrient retention). The small inter-site aboveground productivity differences observed suggest that plasticity in fine root growth may contribute to overcome nutrient limitations on less fertile marginal lands.