The comparation of seminal root traits of five successional species in abandoned arable land in northern mountainous regions of Yuzhong County

Soil water content decrease gradually from early-successional habitats to late-successional habitats in abandoned arable land in northern mountainous region of Yuzhong County. Accordingly, late-successional species have stronger ability to resist drought stress than early-successional species. Root traits are associated with plant drought resistance, and therefore, it is proposed that root traits between early-successional species and late-successional species should differ significantly. The object of this study is to use simple gel chamber to compare seminal root straits in early-successional species, Artemsia annua, middle-successional species, Heteropappus altaicus, Artemisia frigida, and Leymus secalinus , and late-successional species, Stipa Brevilora. The results indicate that the transition from early- to late- successional species reflects that the priority of resource allocation in root growth shifts from enhancing of absorption of resources by lateral root in early-successional species to counteracting to dry soil in the late-successional species.