Response of a pioneering species (Leptospermum scoparium J.E.Forst. & G.Forst.) to heterogeneity in a low-fertility soil

12 páginas.-- 6 figuras.-- 2 tablas.-- 35 referencis.-- The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00093/full#supplementary-materialRoot foraging may increase plant nutrient acquisition at the cost of reducing the total volume of soil explored, thereby reducing the chance of the roots encountering additional patches. Patches in soil seldom contain just one nutrient: the patch may also have distinct textural, hydrological, and toxicological characteristics. We sought to determine the characteristics of root foraging by a pioneering species, Leptospermum scoparium, using pot trials and rhizobox experiments with patches of biosolids. The growth of L. scoparium was increased by