Does Root Tensile Strength Exhibit Seasonal Variation? Evidence from Two Herbaceous Species.

ABSTRACT: Root tensile strength (T_r) is a fundamental root mechanical trait and serves as a key parameter for assessing the contribution of vegetation to slope stability. T_r is known to exhibit high intraspecific variability, but whether T_r varies with season remains unclear. Here, we investigated the seasonal variation in T_r in two commonly seen herbaceous species, i.e., Artemisia argyi and Cirsium setosum, both of which can be future candidates for revegetating species along roadsides in temperate and subtropical regions. We examined the T_r of their first- (closest to the stem base) and third-order lateral roots sampled in the southwest of Henan, China, in two distinct periods: September (late g

SUBMITTER: Ji K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12526503 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature