Root Growth and Morphology of Carex Species as Influenced by Oxygen Deficiency

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Abstract
The responses of Carex roots to anoxia were investigated in species which differ in their flooding tolerance. Forty days of oxygen deficiency induced several changes in root growth, morphology and anatomy in C. extensa Goodenough, C. remota L. and C. pseudocyperus L. Under anaerobic conditions C. extensa showed strong decreases in root biomass, number, average and total root length, and number of exocortex cell layers. Adventitious roots, intercellular space in the cortex, development of root hairs and lignin content of endodermis increased under these conditions. In C. remota, average and total root length were reduced, but total root biomass increased by 47%, due to greater root number, adventitious root formation and root thickness. The lignin content of endodermis and exodermis was enhanced. Under anaerobic conditions C. pseudocyperus showed a reduction of the adventitious root by 25%, but all other measured root characteristics increased. These results indicate that tolerance to oxygen deficiency is associated with a number of adaptations to root morphology and anatomy, besides enhanced aerenchyma formation, and that it varies between species of different flooding tolerance.

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