Aboveground growth of C(4)plants responds more strongly to atmospheric CO2
concentration when soil water is limiting rather than abundant. Whether the
same is true of root growth and morphology, however, remains to be evaluat
ed. We investigated interactive effects of CO2 and soil water on root growt
h and morphology of two C-4 grasses. Seedlings of the dominant C-4 grasses
from tallgrass prairie, Schizachyrium scoparium and Andropogon gerardii, we
re grown for 8 weeks in an elongated, controlled environment chamber at CO2
concentrations of 368 (ambient) and 203 (subambient) mu mol mol(-1). Seedl
ings were maintained at either high (ca. 90%) or low (ca. 50%) soil relativ
e water holding capacity (RWC). Both root and shoot systems of C-4 grass se
edlings responded similarly to CO2 enrichment irrespective of whether soil
water was limiting or abundant. Root growth was affected primarily by incre
ased RWC (40-51% increases) and secondarily by higher CO2 (15-27% increases
). The relative distribution of root surface area, number of root tips and
length and volume of roots were significantly affected by CO2 enrichment wi
th proportional increases of 55-61%, 39-52%, 50-55% and 53-58%, respectivel
y, occurring in very fine (0-0.3 mm) roots. The indirect effect of CO2 enri
chment on conservation of soil water in grasslands may be as important as d
irect photosynthetic response effects in the CO2-induced enhancement of who
le-plant growth in C-4 grasses.