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The Influence of Cellulose Content on Tensile Strength in Tree Roots

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Abstract

Root tensile strength is an important factor to consider when choosing suitable species for reinforcing soil on unstable slopes. Tensile strength has been found to increase with decreasing root diameter, however, it is not known how this phenomenon occurs. We carried out tensile tests on roots 0.2–12.0 mm in diameter of three conifer and two broadleaf species, in order to determine the relationship between tensile strength and diameter. Two species, Pinus pinaster Ait. and Castanea sativa Mill., were then chosen for a quantitative analysis of root cellulose content. Cellulose is responsible for tensile strength in wood due to its microfibrillar structure. Results showed that in all species, a significant power relationship existed between tensile strength and root diameter, with a sharp increase of tensile strength in roots with a diameter <0.9 mm. In roots >1.0 mm, Fagus sylvatica L. was the most resistant to failure, followed by Picea abies L. and C. sativa., P. pinaster and Pinus nigra Arnold roots were the least resistant in tension for the same diameter class. Extremely high values of strength (132–201 MPa) were found in P. abies, C. sativa and P. pinaster, for the smallest roots (0.4 mm in diameter). The power relationship between tensile strength and root diameter cannot only be explained by a scaling effect typical of that found in fracture mechanics. Therefore, this relationship could be due to changes in cellulose content as the percentage of cellulose was also observed to increase with decreasing root diameter and increasing tensile strength in both P. pinaster and C. sativa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Rhéologie du Bois de Bordeaux, (Mixed Unit: INRA/CNRS/Université Bordeaux I), Domaine de l’Hermitage, 69, rte d’Arcachon, 33612, Cestas Cedex, France

    Marie Genet, Alexia Stokes, Slobodan B. Mickovski & Thierry Fourcaud

  2. Equipe de Génétique et Amélioration des Arbres Forestiers, UMR BIOGECO, INRA, 69, rte d’Arcachon, 33612, Cestas Cedex, France

    Franck Salin

  3. Civil Engineering Division, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Dundee, DD1 4HR, Dundee, UK

    Slobodan B. Mickovski

  4. AMAP-CIRAD AMIS, Cedex 5, Montpellier, TA 40/PS2, 34398, France

    Thierry Fourcaud

  5. XYLOMECA, 41, rue Michel de Montaigne, 24700, Moulin Neuf, France

    Jean-François Dumail

  6. Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics – Physical Geography, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, NL 1018 WV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Rens van Beek

  7. Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan, 110, P.O. BOX 80.115, NL-3508, TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Rens van Beek

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  1. Marie Genet
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  2. Alexia Stokes
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  3. Franck Salin
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  4. Slobodan B. Mickovski
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  5. Thierry Fourcaud
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  6. Jean-François Dumail
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  7. Rens van Beek
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Correspondence to Marie Genet.

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Genet, M., Stokes, A., Salin, F. et al. The Influence of Cellulose Content on Tensile Strength in Tree Roots. Plant Soil 278, 1–9 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-005-8768-6

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