The rooting patterns of understory plants were determined with minimal disturbance of the site by injecting radioiodine into the soil and the beta and gamma activity of the aboveground tissue measured with a Geiger—Mueller detector. Injections were made to 72 inches in clay, stone—free soils. Modifications of the procedure are required for injections to depths greater than 36 inches in stony soils. The procedure was applied to two sites of different moisture regimes. Many of the species studied rooted to 72 inches though the amount of aboveground tissue was only a few grams. Rooting on dry sites was deeper than at the more mesic site.
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Nimlos et al. (1968) studied this question.