Roots & Air

[Mohit Pandey]

Do roots need air so that they live? Why does water logging results in decaying of plants? Is there a relation between them?:)

[Ganoderma]

from my basic understanding the roots need gas exchange just like other areas. Roots tend to benefit from oxygen, i am not sure if this plays a role in the co2/o2 night/day cycle or not.

 

edit. i am fairly sure water logged plants decay mostly due to stress and the increased number of fungi/bacteria that would benefit from teh increased moisture.

[maikeru]

Yes, they do. As Ganoderma mentions, roots do need gas exchange and aeration to encourage the growth of generally beneficial bacteria (such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria) and fungal communities (mycorrhizae) near the roots that help plants. Waterlogging promotes the growth of anaerobic organisms, kills the beneficial aerobic organisms, could change soil pH due to different chemical activites and decomposition, kills root hairs on the roots (which starves the plant, such as can't get nitrogen from soil), and usually leads to root rot.

[biowizard]

root cells do require gas exchange.

[HydrogenBond]

Here is Florida there are plants that grow in the air, suspended by the branches of trees. These like to breath all over. I am not sure where they get minerals unless they take it from the rain or from the rain sediments that collects on the branches of the trees.

 

Even the cells from parts of the plants that participate in photosyntheis exchange oxygen at night. During the day they can generate their own O2 in bulk, but at night they need to get O2 from the air. The roots need O2 all the time. What is sort of interesting is that packed soil will limit the transfer of O2 from the air into the depths of the soil. Transfer of O2 via the sap plays a role in the O2 economy of roots.

[InfiniteNow]

Here is Florida there are plants that grow in the air, suspended by the branches of trees. These like to breath all over. I am not sure where they get minerals unless they take it from the rain or from the rain sediments that collects on the branches of the trees.

When you mentioned Florida, I immediately thought of spanish moss...

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_moss

 

Spanish moss is an epiphyte (air plant), which absorbs nutrients (especially calcium) and water from the air and rainfall. It is not a parasite in the same sense as mistletoe (it does not burrow into the tree and suck out nutrients).

[InfiniteNow]

Do roots need air so that they live?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphyte

 

Epiphytes usually derive only physical support and not nutrition from their host, though they may sometimes damage the host. Parasitic and semiparasitic plants growing on other plants (mistletoe is well known) are not epiphytes.

 

An epiphyte uses photosynthesis for energy and (where non-aquatic) obtains moisture from the air or from dampness (rain and cloud moisture) on the surface of its host. Roots may develop primarily for attachment, and specialized structures (for example, cups and scales) may be used to collect or hold moisture.

 

Epiphytes attached to their hosts high in the canopy have an advantage over herbs restricted to the ground where there is less light and herbivores may be more active.

 

Epiphytes are also important to certain animals that may live in their water reservoirs, such some types of frogs and arthropods.