Knowledge Resource Center for Ecological Environment in Arid Area
| 项目编号 | 0517740 |
| RUI: Contractile Roots: Their Role in Anchorage and Resource Acquisition in the Agavaceae | |
| Gretchen North | |
| 主持机构 | Occidental College |
| 开始日期 | 2005-08-01 |
| 结束日期 | 2010-07-31 |
| 资助经费 | 157175(USD) |
| 项目类别 | Standard Grant |
| 资助机构 | US-NSF（美国国家科学基金会） |
| 项目所属计划 | ENVIRON & STRUCTURAL SYS CL |
| 语种 | 英语 |
| 国家 | 美国 |
| 英文简介 | The purpose of this study is to investigate how root contraction (longitudinal shortening) can help plant root systems perform two primary functions: anchorage and resource acquisition. Contractile roots have been studied previously as a means of pulling a plant to a more favorable soil depth or helping establish an offshoot at some distance from its parent plant. Although the process of contraction has been investigated for a number of species, the effects of the associated anatomical modifications on root water uptake have not been examined. Contractile roots, which have been described previously for one member of the genus Agave, appear to be widespread in the family Agavaceae, which includes several species of ecological importance in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. The guiding hypothesis of this study is that contractile roots not only improve seedling establishment and clonal propagation in seasonally dry habitats but also enhance water uptake in regions of infrequent and limited rainfall. The hypothesis will be tested by comparing the structure and function of contractile roots for paired species in the Agavaceae that differ in habitat (e.g., grassland vs. desert), growth habit (e.g., succulent vs. non-succulent, rosette vs. tree-like), and method of reproduction (e.g., frequently vegetative vs. strictly sexual). The amount of root contraction and shoot displacement will be quantified under various conditions in the laboratory and in a common garden, and root systems of native species of agave and yucca in southern California will be partially excavated to determine the extent of root contraction in the field. Water uptake by contractile versus non-contractile roots will be investigated along with anatomical features such as microtubule orientation, cell shape and size, cell vitality, and cell wall modifications, particularly as they affect water absorption and transport. The study will encompass several scales (organelle to plant family) and employ techniques from several fields (anatomy, ecology, and physiology), providing multiple yet integrated options for undergraduate learning and preparation for future research. Due to the reputation of Occidental College as an institution committed to diversity and its location in northeast Los Angeles, the opportunity for under-represented students to become involved in the research is great. In addition, the study promises to illuminate the functional significance of contractile roots in an ecologically and economically important group of plants and to examine for the first time the effects of contraction on the ability of roots to acquire and transport water. |
| 来源学科分类 | Biological Sciences |
| URL | https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0517740 |
| 资源类型 | 项目 |
| 条目标识符 | http://119.78.100.177/qdio/handle/2XILL650/341333 |
| 推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714 | Gretchen North.RUI: Contractile Roots: Their Role in Anchorage and Resource Acquisition in the Agavaceae.2005. |
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