Root and Rhizosphere Processes under Drought: Digging Deeper to Enhance Ecosystem Resilience

Abstract

Global ecosystems face severe challenges from climate change, environmental pollution, and intensive farming. Among these challenges, frequent and intense drought presents a significant threat to plants in both natural and managed ecosystems. Roots and the rhizosphere, including countless microorganisms, can shape plant responses to drought and hence ecosystem health and resilience. This ESA symposium focused on how root traits and rhizosphere microbiomes respond to drought in diverse ecosystems. More profound knowledge of these vital connections between rhizosphere processes and ecosystem health under drought stress can help us formulate sustainable ecosystem management practices and impart drought resilience in plants. Forests are essential in sustaining life on earth as they contribute to many ecosystem services, including soil carbon sequestration. Fine roots of trees and the associated mycorrhizae which contribute to a majority of soil carbon exhibit a high level of plasticity under drought. The different talks in this symposium examined recent advances on the morphological, physiological, and chemical plasticity ANNUAL MEETING