Advances on the Responses of Root Dynamics to Increased Atmospheric CO2 and Global Climate Change

Plant roots dynamics responses to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration, increased temperature and changedprecipitation can be a key link between plant growth and long-term changes in soil organic matter and ecosystem carbonbalance. This paper reviews some experiments and hypotheses developed in this area, which mainly include plant fineroots growth, root turnover, root respiration and other root dynamics responses to elevated CO2 and global climatechange. Some recent new methods of studying root systems were also discussed and summarized. It holds herein that theassemblage of information about root turnover patterns, root respiration and other dynamic responses to elevatedatmospheric CO2 and global climatic change can help to better understand and explore some new research areas. In thispaper, some research challenges in the plant root responses to the elevated CO2 and other environmental factors duringglobal climate change were also demonstrated.