Aerial Root Physiology: Reaching for the Sky or Down to Earth?

Rasmussen, Amanda; Dobrijevic, Daisy P.; Ola, Anne; Ishaya, Findimila Dio; Lovelock, Catherine E.

Abstract

Aerial roots have evolved in plants from diverse ecosystems, many facing specific environmental challenges associated with their natural or agricultural setting. In coastal species exposed to wind and waves, including mangroves, soft anoxic substrates have resulted in highly developed aerial root systems. In the rainforest, aerial roots of hemi‐epiphytic figs enable life to begin higher in the canopy while climbing plants, such as ivy and Monsteras, depend on structurally very different aerial roots to climb vertical substrates. Maize, globally one of the three most important cereals, develops aerial roots presumably reducing lodging in high winds. In each of these cases, the dominant hypothesized role for aerial roots is to provide support and enabling greater heights to be reached. But do aerial roots of these plant groups also contribute to resource uptake and movement? This article explores the current knowledge of aerial root physiology and structure from each of these interesting and challenging environmental conditions and discusses how understanding these adaptations and niche requirements has value for improving crops, protecting our coastlines, improving our urban green spaces, and managing biodiversity conservation.

Citation

Rasmussen, A., Dobrijevic, D. P., Ola, A., Ishaya, F. D., & Lovelock, C. E. (2019). Aerial Root Physiology: Reaching for the Sky or Down to Earth?. . Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119312994.apr0668

• Online Publication Date: Aug 12, 2019
• Publication Date: Aug 12, 2019
• Deposit Date: Aug 28, 2019
• Journal: Annual Plant Reviews online
• Publisher: Wiley
• Pages: 753-784
• Series Title: Annual Plant Reviews online
• Series Number: Issue 3
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119312994.apr0668
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2510983
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119312994.apr0668
• Related Public URLs: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781119312994
• Additional Information: Copyright © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
• Contract Date: Apr 5, 2019