Liana Root Systems, Root Foraging Efficiency, and Competitive Interactions with Trees

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Root systems of trees and lianas native to north-central Florida will be compared on the basis of morphology, maximum depth, and efficiency of colonization of resource-rich volumes of soil. Allometrical studies of lianas and trees will elucidate differences in the following ratios: roots:shoot biomass; leaf area:root surface area; leaf area:stem cross sectional area; and, root:root biomass. Additionally the P.I. will determine the degree to which dense tangles of lianas suppress tree seedling growth through competition belowground and aboveground. Liana roots, like their stems, do not serve a mechanical support function and thus belowground biomass can be allocated to maximize the volume of soil explored for water and nutrients. Liana root systems are expected to be extremely opportunistic in distribution and thus benefit more frequently than tree roots from spatial and temporal variation in water and nutrient availability. Differences between trees and lianas in root foraging efficiency will be experimentally determined.