INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ABOVE AND BELOW GROUND PLANT STRUCTURES: MECHANISMS AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

Highlights

● Aboveground to belowground energy transfer.

● Importance of symplasmic nature of sieve tubes.

● Hydraulic, electrical and chemical energy transfer.

● Decreased soil organic C storage over 8000 years.

Abstract

Interactions between above and below ground parts of plants can be considered under the (overlapping) categories of energy, material and information. Solar energy powers photosynthesis and transpiration by above ground structures, and drives most water uptake through roots and supplies energy as organic matter to below ground parts, including diazotrophic symbionts and mycorrhizas. Material transfer occurs as water and dissolved soil-derived elements transport up the xylem, and a small fraction of water moving up the xylem with dissolved organic carbon and other solutes down the phloem. The cytosolic nature of sieve tubes accounts for at least some of the cycling of K, Mg and P down the phloem. NO₃^– assimilation of above ground parts requires organic N transport down phloem with, in some cases, organic anions related to shoot acid-base regulation. Long-distance information transfer is related development, biotic and abiotic damage, and above and below ground resource excess and limitation. Information transfer can involve hydraulic, electrical and chemical signaling, with their varying speeds of transmission and information content. Interaction of above and below ground plant parts is an important component of the ecosystem service of storing atmospheric CO₂ as organic C in soil, a process that has decreased since the origin of agriculture.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

aerenchyma / carbon accumulation / hormones / phloem / xylem

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Acknowledgements

Discussions over the years with Susan Allen, Mitchell Andrews, Mary Beilby, Martin Canny, Dianne Edwards, Clifford Evans, Lyn Jones, Linda Handley, Missy Holbrook, Hans Lambers, Enid MacRobbie, Rana Munns, John Passioura, Ros Rickaby, Andrew Smith, Harry Smith, Sally Smith, Mel Tyree, Alan Walker, Philip White and Sally Wilkinson have been very helpful. The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish Charity, No. 015096.

Compliance with ethics guidelines

John A. Raven declare that he has no conflicts of interest or financial conflicts to disclose. This article does not contain any study with human or animal subjects performed by the author.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s) 2022. Published by Higher Education Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)