Root Interaction Between Bromus Tectorum and Poa Pratensis: A Three-Dimensional Analysis

The spatial distribution of roots of two alien grasses, Bromus tectorum and Poa pratensis, grown singly and in a mixture, was examined using a double—labelling radioisotope technique. Interactions between the root systems of these plants led to a restricted B. tectorum rooting volume in P. pratensis neighborhoods °30—d—old. The roots of B. tectorum failed to develop laterally. The altered B. tectorum root systems may contribute to its inability to persist in established P. pratensis swards.