Root distribution and influencing factors of dry-sowing and wet-growing cotton plants under different water conditions

To study the effect of soil water and salt environment factors on the root growth of cotton under different moisture control,three different emergence water volumes(60,105,and 150 m^(3)/hm^(2)),two different frequencies(high frequency and low frequency)and one double film cover winter irrigation control treatment(CK:2250 m^(3)/hm^(2))were set up to analyze the spatial distribution patterns of soil water and salt environment and root density in dry sown and wet emerged cotton fields under diffe-rent moisture control conditions.The results show that the soil water content and water infiltration range gradually become larger with the increase of seedling water quantity,and the larger the seedling water quantity,the higher the soil water content.With the same seedling water quantity,the soil water content of the high-frequency(HF)treatment becomes obviously larger.The soil conductivity of each treatment tends to decrease gradually with the increase of seedling water and drip frequency,among which the distribution of soil conductivity of S6 treatment is closest to that of CK.With the increase in soil depth,the soil conductivity tends to increase first and then decrease.Compared with the low-frequency(LF)treatment,the high-frequency treatment shows a significantly deeper soil salt accumulation layer.The root length density(RLD)of cotton gradually increases with the amount of seedling water and the frequency of dripping.The soil layer of root distribution gradually deepens with the amount of seedling water in the vertical direction,and the RLD value in the horizontal direction is significantly greater in the mulched area than that in the bare area between films.This research can serve as a solid scientific foundation for the use of dry sowing and wet emergence techniques in cotton fields in southern Xinjiang.

Fine Root Distribution Characteristics of Populus cathayana Plantations at Different Ages in Alpine Sandy Land

[Objectives]The paper was to study the fine root distribution characteristics of Populus cathayana plantations at different ages in alpine sandy land.[Methods]With 5,10,15,20,and 25 years old P.cathayana plantation in the eastern margin of Gonghe Basin,Qinghai Province as the research objects,fine roots were collected by root core drilling method,and the differences of fine root biomass,root length density,average diameter and root tip number at the soil depths of 0-20,20-40,40-60,60-80 and 80-100 cm were analyzed.[Results]The total biomass density of P.cathayana plantation was mainly distributed in the soil layer of 0-60 cm,accounting for 76%of the entire soil layer,and its value increased with the increase in forest age.With the increase in different forest ages,the root length density,average diameter and root tip number of living fine roots in the soil layer of 0-60 cm accounted for 74%-81%of the entire soil layer,and the proportions in the soil layers of 60-80 and 80-100 cm were 9%-11%.The biomass density,root length density,average diameter and root tip number of living and dead fine roots of P.cathayana plantation increased with the increase of forest age.The root length density,average diameter and root tip number of P.cathayana fine roots showed a linear function change trend with the growth of forest age,which could be described by the linear function equation y=ax+b(a>0).The analysis results showed that the root length density,average diameter and root tip number of P.cathayana were significantly correlated with the total biomass density of fine roots,and the root length density and average diameter had an extremely positive correlation with the total biomass density.[Conclusions]In the future,P.cathayana plantation should be properly tended to promote the development of fine roots and maximize its ecological benefits.

Vertical root distribution and root cohesion of typical tree species on the Loess Plateau, China

Black locust（Robinia pseudoacacia L.） and Chinese pine（Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.） are two woody plants that are widely planted on the Loess Plateau for controlling soil erosion and land desertification. In this study, we conducted an excavation experiment in 2008 to investigate the overall vertical root distribution characteristics of black locust and Chinese pine. We also performed triaxial compression tests to evaluate the root cohesion（additional soil cohesion increased by roots） of black locust. Two types of root distribution, namely, vertical root（VR） and horizontal root（HR）, were used as samples and tested under four soil water content（SWC） conditions（12.7%, 15.0%, 18.0% and 20.0%, respectively）. Results showed that the root lengths of the two species were mainly concentrated in the root diameter of 5–20 mm. A comparison of root distribution between the two species indicated that the root length of black locust was significantly greater than that of Chinese pine in nearly all root diameters, although the black locust used in the comparison was 10 years younger than the Chinese pine. Root biomass was also significantly greater in black locust than in Chinese pine, particularly in the root diameters of 3–5 and 5–10 mm. These two species were both found to be deep-rooted. The triaxial compression tests showed that root cohesion was greater in the VR samples than in the HR samples. SWC was negatively related to both soil shear strength and root cohesion. These results could provide useful information on the architectural characteristics of woody root system and expand the knowledge on shallow slope stabilization and soil erosion control by plant roots on the Loess Plateau.

Root distribution of three co-occurring desert shrubs and their physiological response to precipitation

Root distribution of three desert shrubs,Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.,Haloxylon ammodendron(C.A.Mey.) Bunge and Reaumuria soongorica(Pall.) Maxim.was investigated under co-occurring conditions using a method for excavating the whole root system.Assimilation shoot water potential and transpiration rates were monitored during the wet-dry cycle.Leaf-specific apparent hydraulic conductance and the index of water stress impact for the three species were calculated from shoot water potential and transpiration rate.The results showed that,along the soil profile,the root system of T.ramosissima mainly distributed at 50 to 310 cm interval,with an average total absorbing root-surface area of 30,249.2 cm2 per plant;the root system of H.ammodendraom distributed at 0 to 250 cm interval with an average total absorbing root-surface area of 12,847.3 cm2 per plant;the root system of R.soongorica distributed at 0-80 cm interval,with an average total absorbing root-surface area of 361.8 cm2.The root distribution shows the following:T.ramosissima uses groundwater as its main water source;H.ammodendraom uses both groundwater and rainwater;and R.soongorica uses rainwater only.During the wet-dry cycle,the hydraulic parameters of T.ramosissima showed no responses to precipitation.R.soongorica responded most significantly,and the responses of H.ammodendraom were intermediate.In conclusion,the plant response to rain events is closely related to their root distribution and plant water-use strategy.

Incorporation of a Dynamic Root Distribution into CLM4.5： Evaluation of Carbon and Water Fluxes over the Amazon

Roots are responsible for the uptake of water and nutrients by plants and have the plasticity to dynamically respond to different environmental conditions. However, most land surface models currently prescribe rooting profiles as a function only of vegetation type, with no consideration of the surroundings. In this study, a dynamic rooting scheme, which describes root growth as a compromise between water and nitrogen availability, was incorporated into CLM4.5 with carbon-nitrogen （CN） interactions （CLM4.5-CN） to investigate the effects of a dynamic root distribution on eco-hydrological modeling. Two paired numerical simulations were conducted for the Tapajos National Forest km83 （BRSa3） site and the Amazon, one using CLM4.5-CN without the dynamic rooting scheme and the other including the proposed scheme. Simulations for the BRSa3 site showed that inclusion of the dynamic rooting scheme increased the amplitudes and peak values of diurnal gross primary production （GPP） and latent heat flux （LE） for the dry season, and improved the carbon （C） and water cycle modeling by reducing the RMSE of GPP by 0.4 g C m^-2 d^-1, net ecosystem exchange by 1.96 g C m^-2 d^-1, LE by 5.0 W m^-2, and soil moisture by 0.03 m^3 m^-3, at the seasonal scale, compared with eddy flux measurements, while having little impact during the wet season. For the Amazon, regional analysis also revealed that vegetation responses （including GPP and LE） to seasonal drought and the severe drought of 2005 were better captured with the dynamic rooting scheme incorporated.

Influence of Limited Soil on the Root Distribution and Anchorage of Vitex negundo L.

Field pull-out and laboratory tests were applied to investigate the effect of metal bolts and wire netting on plant root distribution and anchorage characteristics of 9-year-old Vitex negundo L. growing on a weakly weathered rocky slope (38°). Root number, length and diameter were recorded and single root specimens were classified and tested for tensile strength. The results show that root anchorage is different between the two constructions by bolts and wire. Under limited soil condition, root anchorage ability is 80% lower than when there is sufficient soil due to the reduction of the diameter and number of all second-order lateral roots, as well as the reduction of the tensile strength of the embedded second-order and first-order lateral roots on limited soil. We conclude that the distribution and anchorage of Vitex negundo L. is affected by limited soil availability on rocky slopes.

Fine Root Distribution Pattern of Different Aged Leucaena leucocephala Trees in Debris Flow Source Area in Jiangjia Gully, China

Fine root is critical to restrain soil erosion and its distribution pattern is of great influence on the restraining effects. This study studied the fine root biomass （Br） distribution of different aged Leucaena leucocephala （5, 10, 15 years） in debris flow source area in Jiangjia Gully by digging downward to the bottom at different distances to stem in three directions on slope. The results showed the Br increased dramatically by 143% from 5 years to lO years and then rose slowly by 38% from to years to 15 years. The Br of 5 years was significantly asymmetric between uphill and alonghill directions, but there was little difference among directions for other ages, and a concentration trend appeared to exist in downhill and alonghill directions. Moreover, fine root （D≤1 mm） was significantly heavier than that of fine root （1mm〈D〈2 ram）, playing a leading role in the vertical distribution of the whole fine root, with a logarithmic or an exponential function. The results presented may shed light on fine root distribution pattern and evaluation of its effect on slope stability in debris flow source area.

Stability Analysis of Multi-Dimensional Linear Discrete System and Root Distribution Using Sign Criterion with Real Coefficients

A new idea was proposed to find out the stability and root location of multi-dimensional linear time invariant discrete system (LTIDS) for real coefficient polynomials. For determining stability the sign criterion is synthesized from the Jury’s method for stability which is derived from the characteristic polynomial coefficients of the discrete system. The number of roots lying inside or outside the unit circle and hence on the unit circle is directly determined from the proposed single modified Jury tabulation and the sign criterion. The proposed scheme is simple and the examples are given to bring out the merits of the proposed scheme which is also applicable for the singular and non-singular cases.

Effects of different irrigation methods on micro-environments and root distribution in winter wheat fields

The irrigation method used in winter wheat fields affects micro-environment factors, such as relative humidity（RH） within canopy, soil temperature, topsoil bulk density, soil matric potential, and soil nutrients, and these changes may affect plant root growth.An experiment was carried out to explore the effects of irrigation method on micro-environments and root distribution in a winter wheat field in the 2007–2008 and 2008–2009 growing seasons.The results showed that border irrigation（BI）, sprinkler irrigation（SI）, and surface drip irrigation（SDI） had no significant effects on soil temperature.Topsoil bulk density, RH within the canopy, soil available N distribution, and soil matric potential were significantly affected by the three treatments.The change in soil matric potential was the key reason for the altered root profile distribution patterns.Additionally, more fine roots were produced in the BI treatment when soil water content was low and topsoil bulk density was high.Root growth was most stimulated in the top soil layers and inhibited in the deep layers in the SDI treatment, followed by SI and BI, which was due to the different water application frequencies.As a result, the root profile distribution differed, depending on the irrigation method used.The root distribution pattern changes could be described by the power level variation in the exponential function.A good knowledge of root distribution patterns is important when attempting to model water and nutrient movements and when studying soil-plant interactions.

Distribution Characteristics Comparison of Salix Psammophila Roots under Different Landforms in Mu Us Desert

[Objective] In order to study plant adaptation mechanism under different landforms in drought regions.[Method] Observe soil moisture dynamic of Salix psammophila sample areas on the dune and depression with neutron moisture gauge and research the roots distribution of Salix psammophila sample areas on the dune and depression respectively by digging method.[Result] The quantity of Salix psammophila roots on the dune exponentially decreases while that on the depression decreases by power function in horizontal direction.In vertical direction,Salix psammophila roots on the dune are mainly distributed in 0-30 and 80-120 cm layers as 72% of all,while Salix psammophila roots on the depression are mainly distributed in 0-40 cm layers as 54% of all.[Conclusion] Salix psammophila roots on the dune not only use surface soil water but also use middle-layer groundwater.Salix psammophila roots on the depression primarily use surface soil water.

Effects of water-fertilizer coupling on root distribution and yield of Chinese Jujube trees in Xinjiang

Water and fertilizer are the two main factors which promote the rapid growth of Jujube(Ziziphus jujuba)trees.Studies of root systems and the nutrition-use efficiency of dense,dwarfed fruit trees are limited,especially in an extremely arid region with drip irrigation.The experiment was conducted in a 12-year-old dwarf jujube planting basement in Hami from 2013 to 2015.In this experiment,root length density and root weight density were calculated and found to range from 75 cm to 275 cm in horizontal distance,and from 0 to 90 cm in vertical depth,treated with three drip irrigation quota gradients and three fertilizer rates with each treatment replicated three times.The results showed that,as the amount of nitrogen applied increased gradually,the jujubes’growth amount increased,reaching a maximum when an optimal concentration was applied.However,the jujubes’growth was inhibited,and the growth declined when the amount of nitrogen applied was more than the optimal concentration.At an appropriate level of nitrogen,the growth,yield and quality of jujube trees could be guaranteed.If the rate of nitrogen application was lowered,the jujubes’growth would inhibit,and hence the yield wound be seriously impacted.The optimal irrigation quota and fertilization amount were found to be 900 mm and 1500-1800 kg/hm^(2),respectively.The research findings were of significance and hold great promise for the development of the forestry and fruit industries in the arid region of Xinjiang.At the same time,there was a further study on irrigation technique,focusing on the combined effect of the dwarfed-planting technique and drip irrigation on jujube trees;with this information,the application efficiency of water and fertilizer can be optimized,leading to higher profits and economic efficiency.

Root Structure,Distribution and Biomass in Five Multipurpose Tree Species of Western Himalayas

【Title】【Author】【Addresses】1The tree root distribution pattern and biomass of seventeen year old trees of Grewia optiva, Morus alba, Celtis australis, Bauhinia variegata and Robinia pseudoacacia were studied by excavation method. B. variegata roots penetrated to a maximum depth of 4.78 m, whereas, M. alba roots were found down to 1.48 m depth. Lateral spread was minimum in B. variegata （1.10 m）and maximum inR. pseudoacacia （7.33 m）. Maximum root biomass of 6.30 kg was found in R. pseudoacacia and minimum （2.43 kg） was found in M. alba. For four species viz.,G. optiva, M. alba, C. australis andR. pseudoacacia, 68%-87% root biomass occurred within top 0-30 cm soil depth, but forB. variegata this was only45%. The soil binding factor was maximum in G. optiva and minimum in B. variegata. Soil physico-chemical properties also showed wide variation. The study suggests thatB. variegata with a deep root system is the most suitable species for plantation under agroforestry systems. R. pseudoacacia and G. optiva with deep root systems, more lateral spread and high soil binding factor are suitable for plantation on degraded lands for soil conservation.

Drought adaptability of phreatophytes:insight from vertical root distribution in drylands of China

Aims The vertical distribution of plant roots is a comprehensive result of plant adaptation to the environment.Limited knowledge on fine vertical root distributions and complex interactions between roots and environmental variables hinders our ability to reliably predict climatic impacts on vegetation dynamics.This study attempts to understand the drought adaptability of plants in arid areas from the perspective of the relationship between vertical root distribution and surroundings.Methods By analyzing root profiles compiled from published studies,the root vertical profiles of two typical phreatophytes,Tamarix ramosissima and Populus euphratica,and their relationships with environmental factors were investigated.A conceptual model was adopted to link the parameter distribution frequency with plant drought adaptability.Important Findings The strong hydrotropism(groundwater-dependent)and flexible water-use strategy of T.ramosissima and P.euphratica help both species survive in hyperarid climates.The differences in the developmental environments between T.ramosissima and P.euphratica can be explained well by the different distribution characteristics of root profiles.That is,higher root plasticity helps T.ramosissima develop a more efficient water-use strategy and therefore survive in more diverse climatic and soil conditions than P.euphratica.We conclude that the higher variation in root profile characteristics of phreatophytes can have greater root adaptability to the surroundings and thus wider hydrological niches and stronger ecological resilience.The inadequacy of models in describing root plasticity limits the accuracy of predicting the future response of vegetation to climate change,which calls for developing process-based dynamic root schemes in Earth system models.

Soil nutrients in relation to vertical roots distribution in the riparian zone of Three Gorges Reservoir,China

Since the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR), the riparian zone has been subjected to numerous environmental changes. This study was conducted to recognize the distribution of grass roots and its impacts on soil nutrients in the water level fluctuation zone of TGR. Roots of four predominant herbaceous plants in the study area, specifically, Cynodon dactylon, Hemarthria altissima, Hemarthria compressa, and Paspalum paspaloides, and their corresponding relation with soil nutrient contents were investigated. Root surface area density was determined with Win RHIZO, and the relationships of root distribution with soil depths and soil nutrient contents were studied. The results indicates that most roots are distributed in the top soil layer of 0-10 cm. Estimated root surface area density for the selected grass species ranges from 0.16 to 13.44 cm^2/cm^3, and decreases exponentially with an increase in soil depth. Soil organic matter and total nitrogen contents are significantly lower on bare control area than the corresponding values on the grasslands. Total nutrient contents on grasslands of C. dactylon and H. compressa are higher than those of other grass areas. Root length density and root surface area density are significantly correlated with soil organic matter and total nitrogen content for the four grasslands. The present results suggests that plant roots have significant effects on the distribution of soil nutrients in soil profiles in the riparian zone along the TGR. Nevertheless, additional investigations are needed to reveal the specific interactions between plant roots distribution, soil nutrients and water level fluctuations.

Root growth and spatio-temporal distribution of three common annual halophytes in a saline desert, northern Xinjiang

Root growth and spatial and temporal distribution in the 0-100 cm soil profiles of three common annual halophytes Salsola subcrassa, Suaeda acuminate and Petrosimonia sibirica distributed in a saline desert in north- ern Xinjiang, China were studied in 2009 and 2010. The results showed that the root systems of the three halo- phytes were of the taproot type, vertically distributed in the 90-cm soil profile, and were deepest in late July. Their taproots reached maximum depth rapidly, early in the growth period, but with rare lateral roots. They were then dug out in an orderly way, from bottom to top, exhibiting vertical development first and then horizontal development. The distribution of specific root length, which reflects the characteristics of the feeder root, was gradually increased from top to bottom, whereas root weight displayed an opposite distribution pattern. The root length distribution of the three halophytes was concentrated （62% to 76%） in the middle soil profile （20-60 cm）, with less distribution in the surface （0-20 cm） and bottom （60-90 cm） soil profiles. The results indicated that the roots of the three annual halophytes grew rapidly into the deeper soil layer after germination, which ensured the plant survival and uptake of water and nutrition, and thus built up a strong tolerance to an arid, high-salt environment.

Root length density distribution and associated soil water dynamics for tomato plants under furrow irrigation in a solar greenhouse

Furrow irrigation is a traditional widely-used irrigation method in the world. Understanding the dynamics of soil water distribution is essential to developing effective furrow irrigation strategies, especially in water-limited regions. The objectives of this study are to analyze root length density distribution and to explore soil water dynamics by simulating soil water content using a HYDRUS-2D model with consideration of root water uptake for furrow irrigated tomato plants in a solar greenhouse in Northwest China. Soil water contents were also in-situ observed by the ECH_2O sensors from 4 June to 19 June and from 21 June to 4 July, 2012. Results showed that the root length density of tomato plants was concentrated in the 0–50 cm soil layers, and radiated 0–18 cm toward the furrow and 0–30 cm along the bed axis. Soil water content values simulated by the HYDRUS-2D model agreed well with those observed by the ECH_2O sensors, with regression coefficient of 0.988, coefficient of determination of 0.89, and index of agreement of 0.97. The HYDRUS-2D model with the calibrated parameters was then applied to explore the optimal irrigation scheduling. Infrequent irrigation with a large amount of water for each irrigation event could result in 10%–18% of the irrigation water losses. Thus we recommend high irrigation frequency with a low amount of water for each irrigation event in greenhouses for arid region. The maximum high irrigation amount and the suitable irrigation interval required to avoid plant water stress and drainage water were 34 mm and 6 days, respectively, for given daily average transpiration rate of 4.0 mm/d. To sum up, the HYDRUS-2D model with consideration of root water uptake can be used to improve irrigation scheduling for furrow irrigated tomato plants in greenhouses in arid regions.

Studies on the Root Characteristics of Maize Varieties of Different Eras

Experiment was conducted at the Gongzhuling Experimental Station of Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jilin Province, China, during 2009-2010. Six representative varieties of maize （Baihe in the 1950s, Jidan 101 in the 1960s, Zhongdan 2 in the 1970s, Yedan 13 in the 1980s, Zhengdan 958 in the 1990s, and Xianyu 335 in the 2000s） were each planted under two different densities （52 500 and 82 500 plants ha-~） and two different nitrogen application levels （150 and 300 kg ha-l）. Root characteristics and distribution among soil layers were studied by the field root digging method. The results showed that root mass increased with the process of the growth and development of the plant, and it peaked at kernel filling stage, and decreased at maturity due to the root senesces. Root mass of different maize varieties from the 1950s to 1980s had a trend of increase, while it decreased for the modern varieties. Root length and root surface areas had the similar changing trend. The study suggested that early maize varieties may have root redundancy, and reducing root redundancy may be a direction for variety improvement for high yield. Root characteristics were affected by nitrogen application level and density; modern varieties were more suitable for higher fertilizer application level and density conditions. Root characteristics distribution among soil layers decreased by an exponent equation, but the regression coefficients of different varieties were different. Though the root length density （RLD） of every soil layer of different varieties also decreased by an exponent equation, there were large variations of RLD in every part of a layer.

Effects of Two-Year Variation in Soil Moisture Condition on the Development of Larch Root System in Eastern Siberia

Recent climate changes, including an increase in precipitation, have affected tree physiology in eastern Siberia. We investigated the response of larch to wet and dry soil water conditions in pot experiments using larch seedlings grown under near-natural conditions in eastern Siberia over two growing seasons. Three patterns of wet- and dry-treatment combinations were applied over 2 years: wet treatments in 2006 and 2007 (WW treatment), dry in 2006 and wet in 2007 (DW treatment), and dry in 2006 and 2007 (DD treatment). After 1 year of treatment, no significant difference between the dry and wet treatment was found in root distribution and needle water content, except for the content of abscisic acid in roots. After 2 years of treatment, the DW treatment induced different tendencies in the gas exchange activity and in the needle biomass and root distribution of seedlings in comparison with WW treatments, despite the same water condition in 2007. We suggest a possibility that seedlings that experience drought stress might store some memory of drought that influences their physiology in the next growing season.

Responses of root growth of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. (Fabaceae) to different simulated groundwater depths in the southern fringe of the Taklimakan Desert, China

Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. （Fabaceae） is a spiny, perennial herb. The species grows in the salinized, arid regions in North China. This study investigated the response characteristics of the root growth and the dis- tribution of one-year-old A. sparsifolia seedlings to different groundwater depths in controlled plots. The eco- logical adaptability of the root systems of A. sparsifolia seedlings was examined using the artificial digging method. Results showed that： （1） A. sparsifolia seedlings adapted to an increase in groundwater depth mainly through increasing the penetration depth and growth rate of vertical roots. The vertical roots grew rapidly when soil moisture content reached 3%-9%, but slowly when soil moisture content was 13%-20%. The vertical roots stopped growing when soil moisture content reached 30% （the critical soil moisture point）. （2） The morphological plasticity of roots is an important strategy used by A. sparsifolia seedlings to obtain water and adapt to dry soil conditions. When the groundwater table was shallow, horizontal roots quickly expanded and tillering increased in order to compete for light resources, whereas when the groundwater table was deeper, vertical roots developed quickly to exploit space in the deeper soil layers. （3） The decrease in groundwater depth was probably respon- sible for the root distribution in the shallow soil layers. Root biomass and surface area both decreased with soil depth. One strategy of A. sparsifolia seedlings in dealing with the increase in groundwater depth is to increase root biomass in the deep soil layers. The relationship between the root growth/distribution of A. sparsifolia and the depth of groundwater table can be used as guidance for harvesting A. sparsifolia biomass and managing water resources for forage grasses. It is also of ecological significance as it reveals how desert plants adapt to arid environments.

Dynamics of Soil CO_2 Profiles of Pinus sylvestris var. sylvestriformis Seedlings Under CO_2 Concentration Doubled

The gas_well system permanently installed in the soil was adopted for studying the dynamic relationship between CO 2 profiles and seedling root growth of Pinus sylvestris var. sylvestriformis (Takenouchi) Cheng et C. D. Chu. The study was conducted in the Open Research Station of Changbai Mountain Forest Ecological System, The Chinese Academy of Sciences from 1999 to 2001. Four treatments were arranged in the rectangular open_top chambers (OTCs): ambient CO 2+no_seedling, 700 μmol/mol CO 2+no_seedling, ambient CO 2 +seedlings, 700 μmol/mol CO 2+seedlings. By collecting and analyzing soil gas synchronously, it was found that the dynamics of CO 2 profiles were related to the biological activity of seedlings. There were more roots distributed in the top soil and the boundary layer across soil and sand, which made more contributions to the CO 2 profiles due to respiration root. Compared with the ambient CO 2, elevated CO 2 led to the peak of CO 2 concentration distribution shifted from soil surface layer to the boundary layer as seasonally growing of seedling roots. It is suggested the gas_well system is an inexpensive, non_destructive and relatively sensitive method for study of soil CO 2 concentration profiles.