Abstract
Rootlets, covered in long root hairs, are aggregated into distinct clusters in many groups of Australian plants. They are almost universal in the family Proteaceae, and some members of the Papilionaceae, Mimosaceae, Casuarinaceae, Cyperaceae, Restionaceae and Dasypogonaceae. These families have their centres of distribution in the oldest, most leached sands and laterites of the continent. Root clusters are almost confined to the uppermost 100 mm of the soil profile, often penetrating into the raw litter. These horizons are the major sources of mineral nutrients which are mobilized when these soils become moist. I argue that root clusters are an ideal solution for maximizing nutrient uptake in extremely impoverished soils, especially in seasonal climates.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baylis GT 1972 Search 3, 257–259.
Campbell EO 1964 Trans. Roy. Soc. New Zeal., Bot. 2, 219–227.
Davies J, Briarty LG and Rieley JO 1973 New Phytol. 72, 167–174.
Dell B, Kuo J and Thomson GJ 1980 Aust. J. Bot. 28, 27–37.
Gardner WK, Barber DA and Parbery DG 1982 Aust. J. Bot. 30, 303–309.
Froend RH 1987 Investigations into species richness patterns in the northern sandplain region of Western Australia. Thesis, Univ. West. Aust., Perth.
Gardner WK, Parbery DG and Barber DA 1982 Plant Soil 68, 19–32.
Gardner WK, Parbery DG and Barber DA 1983 Plant Soil 70, 107–124.
Grinbergs JM, Valezuela EF and Ramirez CG 1987 Agro Sur 15, 1–9.
Gullan PK 1975 Vegetation at Ganbourne Vol. 2. Thesis, Monash Univ., Vic.
Handreck KA 1991 Aust. J. Bot. 39, 373–384.
Jeffrey DW 1967 Aust. J. Bot. 15, 403–411.
Lamont B 1972a Aust. J. Bot. 20, 155–174.
Lamont B 1972b Aust. J. Bot. 20, 383–384.
Lamont B 1973 Aust. J. Bot. 21, 165–187.
Lamont B 1974 New Phytol. 73, 985–996.
Lamont B 1981 In Heathlands and Related Shrublands of the World. B Analytical Studies. Ed RL Specht. pp 183–195. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Lamont B 1981a Aust. J. Bot. 29, 81–96.
Lamont B 1981b Physiol. Plant. 52, 181–186.
Lamont B 1982 Bot. Rev. 48, 597–689.
Lamont B 1983a J. S. Afr. Bot. 49, 103–123.
Lamont B 1983b Plant Soil 74, 149–152.
Lamont BB 1984 In Kwongan: Plant Life of the Sandplain. Eds JS Pate and JS Beard. pp 126–145 Univ. West. Aust. Press, Perth.
Lamont BB, Hopkins AJM and Hnatiuk RJ 1984 In Kwongan: Plant Life of the Sandplain. Eds JS Pate and JS Beard. pp 27–50 Univ. West. Aust. Press, Perth.
Lamont BB 1986 Acta Hort. 185, 163–170.
Lamont BB 1993 In Mediterranean-type Ecosystems of the Pacific Basin: Similarities and Differences. Springer-Verlag, NY (in press)
Lamont BB and McComb AJ 1974 Aust. J. Bot. 22, 681–688.
Lamont BB, Brown G and Mitchell DT 1984 New Phytol. 97, 381–390.
Lindsay AM 1985 Proc. Ecol. Soc. Aust. 14, 83–97.
Louis I, Racette S and Torrey JG 1990 New Phytol. 115, 311–317.
Low AB and Lamont BB 1990 Aust. J. Bot. 38, 351–359.
Malajczuk N and Bowen GD 1974 Nature 251, 316–317.
Pathmaranee N 1974 Observations on proteoid roots. Thesis, Univ. Sydney, N.S.W.
Phillips D and Weste G 1984 Aust. J. Bot. 32, 339–352.
Purnell HM 1960 Aust. J. Bot. 8, 38–50.
Reddell P 1986 Soil and plant factors affecting nodulation and nitrogen-fixation in Casuarinaceae-Frankia symbiosis. Thesis, Univ. West. Aust., Perth.
Reid CP and Bowen GD 1979 In The Soil-Root Interface. Eds JL Harley and RS Russell. pp 211–219. Academic Press, London.
Sward RJ 1978 Studies on VA mycorrhizas of some Australian heathland plants. Thesis, Monash Univ., Vic.
Williams CH and Raupach M 1983 In Soils: An Australian Viewpoint. pp 777–794. Academic Press, London.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lamont, B.B. Why are hairy root clusters so abundant in the most nutrient-impoverished soils of Australia?. Plant Soil 155, 269–272 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025034
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025034