Relationship between root forks and branch angle of Tamarix ramosissima at different stand ages in oasis of Jinta County

The root architecture influences root spatial distribution and resorptiton efficiency of nutrients, which may reflect the plant growth strategies to adapt to the environmental stresses. This paper studied the relationship between root forks and branch angle of Tamarix ramosissim at three-year and six-year. The study site was located in Jinta Beihaizi Wetland Park of Gansu Province with the method of standardized major axis estimation(SMA). The height, density and above-ground biomass of the wetland communities were recorded from 5 m×5 m grids at two plots with six replicates. Seventy-two plants of Tamarix ramosissim were selected; the above-ground parts of those plants were cut while the roots were collected by excavating the whole root system, and both were taken back to the lab. In the laboratory, the roots were scanned with Win-RHIZO to measure the root forks and root length. The individual roots was dissected according to the branching order, starting from the distal end of the root system that was number