Plant roots shaped by river fluctuations

Changing flow rates in rivers can be disruptive to bushes and trees that grow on riverbanks. Now, researchers from EPFL have developed a way to predict how fluctuations in the water table impact the roots that nourish them. Whether due to climate change or changes in power production, rivers may soon see significant changes in the amount of water they carry. But how these changes trickle down to impact trees that grow on the riverbanks is still unclear. Now, researchers have shown how the roots of certain tree species are shaped by fluctuations in the depth of the water table that they draw their water from. Their work could help predict the ecological impact of changes to river flow regimes and contribute to improving the success of river restoration projects. They published their work in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.