Rhizosphere: biophysics, biogeochemistry and ecological relevance

By P. Hinsinger, Anthony Glyn Bengough, D. Vetterlein, Iain M. Young. Plant and Soil, 2009

1,148 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Life on Earth is sustained by a small volume of soil surrounding roots, called the rhizosphere. The soil is where most of the biodiversity on Earth exists, and the rhizosphere probably represents the most dynamic habitat on Earth; and certainly is the most important zone in terms of defining the quality and quantity of the Human terrestrial food resource. Despite its central importance to all life, we know very little about rhizosphere functioning, and have an extraordinary ignorance about how best we can manipulate it to our advantage. A major issue in research on rhizosphere processes is the intimate connection between the biology, physics and chemistry of the system which exhibits astonishing spatial and temporal heterogeneities. This review considers the unique biophysical and biogeochemical properties of the rhizosphere and draws some connections between them. Particular emphasis is put on how underlying processes affect rhizosphere ecology, to generate highly heterogeneous microenvironments. Rhizosphere ecology is driven by a combination of the physical architecture of the soil matrix, coupled with the spatial and temporal distribution of rhizodeposits, protons, gases, and the role of roots as sinks for water and nutrients. Consequences for plant growth and whole-system ecology are considered. The first sections address the physical architecture and soil strength of the rhizosphere, drawing their relationship with key functions such as the movement and storage of elements and water as well as the ability of roots to explore the soil and the definition of diverse habitats for soil microorganisms. The distribution of water and its accessibility in the rhizosphere is considered in detail, with a special emphasis on spatial and temporal dynamics and heterogeneities. The physical architecture and water content play a key role in determining the biogeochemical ambience of the rhizosphere, via their effect on partial pressures of O2 and CO2, and thereby on redox potential and pH of the rhizosphere, respectively. We address the various mechanisms by which roots and associated microorganisms alter these major drivers of soil biogeochemistry. Finally, we consider the distribution of nutrients, their accessibility in the rhizosphere, and their functional relevance for plant and microbial ecology. Gradients of nutrients in the rhizosphere, and their spatial patterns or temporal dynamics are discussed in the light of current knowledge of rhizosphere biophysics and biogeochemistry. Priorities for future research are identified as well as new methodological developments which might help to advance a comprehensive understanding of the co-occurring processes in the rhizosphere.

Subfields: Plant Science, Soil Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/d9485a7aaf456f05efc68ec7caf0ad8196522089

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Citations in the corpus

Acquisition of phosphorus and nitrogen in the rhizosphere and plant growth promotion by microorganisms (2009, background): “This interaction is manifest largely by the physical, chemical and biological properties of the rhizosphere (Hinsinger et al. 2009).”
Current overview on the study of bacteria in the rhizosphere by modern molecular techniques: a mini‒review (2015, background): “The rhizosphere harbors a wide variety of bacteria species, and the compositions of bacterial communities differ according to root zone, plant species, plant phenological phase, stress and disease events (Rovira, 1965; Hinsinger et al., 2009; Marschner et al., 2011).”
Stability and dynamics of enzyme activity patterns in the rice rhizosphere: Effects of plant growth and temperature (2017, background): “Rhizodeposits include lost root cap and border cells, dead and lysed root cells, lost gasses, passively and actively released solutes (root exudates), and gelatinous material from the surface of roots (mucigel) (Curl and Truelove, 1986; Hinsinger et al., 2009; Jones et al., 2009).”
Distribution of microbial- and root-derived phosphatase activities in the rhizosphere depending on P availability and C allocation – Coupling soil zymography with 14C imaging (2013, background): “Rhizodeposits include root cap and border cell loss, death and lysis of root cells, gaseous losses, passive and active release of solutes (root exudates) and insoluble polymer secretion (mucilage) from living cells (Hinsinger et al., 2009; Jones et al., 2009).”
Intercropping with legume for agroecological cropping systems: Complementarity and facilitation processes and the importance of soil microorganisms. A review (2017, background): “Rhizodeposition and exudation by crop roots are crucial since they provide large amounts of nutrients to microbial communities (Hinsinger et al., 2009; Wichern et al., 2007).”
Microbial control over carbon cycling in soil (2012, background): “In the rhizosphere, microbial community composition is regulated by the specific substrates and chemical signals released by the plant root, and by the specific physical and biotic environment created by the plant root in terms of O2, pH, and other chemical variables (Jaeger et al., 1999; Hinsinger ”
Soil zymography – A novel in situ method for mapping distribution of enzyme activity in soil (2013, background): “from the roots, microbial biomass and activity are high in the rhizosphere, making this planteroot interface an important hotspot of terrestrial C and nutrient cycling (Kuzyakov, 2002; Hinsinger et al., 2009).”
Carbon flow in the rhizosphere: carbon trading at the soil–root interface (2009, background): “Although roots can release large amounts of inorganic C which may directly affect the biogeochemistry of the soil (Cheng et al. 1993; Hinsinger 2001; Hinsinger et al. 2009), it is the release of organic carbon that produces the most dramatic changes in the physical, biological and chemical nature of”
The rhizosphere: complex by design (2008, background): “Recent technological advances, however, have shown that like most ecological communities, the rhizosphere appears to be dauntingly complex (Watt et al. 2006a; Hinsinger et al. 2005 and 2008; Pierret et al. 2007).”
Plant nutrition for sustainable development and global health. (2010, background): “…mineral elements (Eticha et al., 2010; Führs et al., 2010; Kobayashi et al., 2010; Miwa and Fujiwara, 2010), fertilizer use efficiencies in crops (Masclaux-Daubresse et al., 2010; White et al., 2010) and the biofortification of edible portions with essential mineral elements (Ding et al., 2010).”
Carbon allocation in grassland communities under drought stress followed by 14C pulse labeling (2012, background): “rhizosphere effects influencing (1) nutrient availability, (2) physical and chemical environment, (3) availability of organic substrates and (4) priming (Hinsinger et al., 2009; Cheng and Kuzyakov, 2005).”