A Florida (USA) scrub-oak ecosystem was exposed to elevated atmospheric CO2 in open-top chambers from 1996-2007. Minirhizotrons and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) were used to measure fine root (< 2 mm diameter) and coarse root (> 5 mm diameter) biomass, respectively. After 11 years of CO2 enrichment, there was a trend of greater total root biomass under elevated CO2. Fine root biomass exhibited a pattern of recovery and steady state throughout the study, with significant CO2 stimulation observed only after disturbance. Greater root biomass under elevated CO2 during recovery periods could result in greater carbon inputs belowground, alteration of the soil carbon cycle, and faster ecosystem recovery. At the end of the study, a greater proportion of fine root biomass was found deeper in the soil in plots exposed to elevated CO2. The shift of biomass deeper in the soil and pattern of recovery and steady state suggest a limit on the soils' capacity to support fine roots. The dominant plants were not limited by water or nutrients, indicating that root responses to CO2 enrichment were likely constrained by soil resource space.
","abstract_html":"<p>A Florida (USA) scrub-oak ecosystem was exposed to elevated atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> in open-top chambers from 1996-2007. Minirhizotrons and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) were used to measure fine root (< 2 mm diameter) and coarse root (> 5 mm diameter) biomass, respectively. After 11 years of CO<sub>2</sub> enrichment, there was a trend of greater total root biomass under elevated CO<sub>2</sub>. Fine root biomass exhibited a pattern of recovery and steady state throughout the study, with significant CO<sub>2</sub> stimulation observed only after disturbance. Greater root biomass under elevated CO<sub>2 </sub>during recovery periods could result in greater carbon inputs belowground, alteration of the soil carbon cycle, and faster ecosystem recovery. At the end of the study, a greater proportion of fine root biomass was found deeper in the soil in plots exposed to elevated CO<sub>2</sub>. The shift of biomass deeper in the soil and pattern of recovery and steady state suggest a limit on the soils' capacity to support fine roots. The dominant plants were not limited by water or nutrients, indicating that root responses to CO<sub>2</sub> enrichment were likely constrained by soil resource space.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Schroeder, Rachel Eilenfield"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Biological Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Frank P. Day","Rebecca D. Bray","G. Richard Whittecar"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-07-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-07-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:34:53Z","subjects":["Biomass","Carbon dioxide","Ground penetrating radar","Minirhizotrons","Root","Ecology and Evolutionary Biology","Environmental Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
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"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Effects of 11 Years of CO2 Enrichment on Root Biomass and Spatial Distribution in a Florida Scrub-Oak Ecosystem"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Frank P. Day","Rebecca D. Bray","G. Richard Whittecar"],"dc:creator":["Schroeder, Rachel Eilenfield"],"dc:date.available":["2019-05-21T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["A Florida (USA) scrub-oak ecosystem was exposed to elevated atmospheric CO2 in open-top chambers from 1996-2007. Minirhizotrons and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) were used to measure fine root (< 2 mm diameter) and coarse root (> 5 mm diameter) biomass, respectively. After 11 years of CO2 enrichment, there was a trend of greater total root biomass under elevated CO2. Fine root biomass exhibited a pattern of recovery and steady state throughout the study, with significant CO2 stimulation observed only after disturbance. Greater root biomass under elevated CO2 during recovery periods could result in greater carbon inputs belowground, alteration of the soil carbon cycle, and faster ecosystem recovery. At the end of the study, a greater proportion of fine root biomass was found deeper in the soil in plots exposed to elevated CO2. The shift of biomass deeper in the soil and pattern of recovery and steady state suggest a limit on the soils' capacity to support fine roots. The dominant plants were not limited by water or nutrients, indicating that root responses to CO2 enrichment were likely constrained by soil resource space.
"],"dc:identifier":["9781124973111","https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/biology_etds/80"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
"],"dc:subject":["Biomass","Carbon dioxide","Ground penetrating radar","Minirhizotrons","Root","Ecology and Evolutionary Biology","Environmental Sciences"],"dc:title":["Effects of 11 Years of CO2 Enrichment on Root Biomass and Spatial Distribution in a Florida Scrub-Oak Ecosystem"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:34:53Z"}