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Rhizosphere Ecology
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:13:12
Abstract
Understanding of complexity and importance of processes in the rhizosphere, a soil zone under direct influence of roots, for plant nutrition and adaptation to environmental stresses. Rhizospheric microbial communities inducing physicochemical changes in the soil, and affecting nutrient and pollutant availabilities to plants. Rhizosphere technologies. Laboratory techniques to study rhizosphere.
Objective
Understanding of complexity and importance of processes in the rhizosphere, a soil zone under direct influence of roots, for plant nutrition and adaptation to environmental stresses. Rhizospheric microbial communities inducing physicochemical changes in the soil, and affecting nutrient and pollutant availabilities to plants. Rhizosphere technologies. Laboratory techniques to study rhizosphere.
Content
This course focuses on the importance of processes taking place in the rhizosphere for plant nutrient uptake and adaptation to environmental stresses. Particularly, root architecture and exudation, and association with symbiotic microorganisms (such as mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen fixing bacteria) will be presented. Multifacetted interactions among plants and microbial communities in their rhizospheres will be introduced, and their relevancy shown for nutrition and growth of plants as well as for remediation of polluted soil (organic pollutants, radioisotopes, heavy metals). Research methods will be introduced and used to characterize root architecture, to collect and analyze root exudates, to quantify the composition and activities of microorganisms at different distances from roots. Particularly, the importance of symbiotic microorganisms for phosphorus nutrition of the plants will be emphasized and quantified in the practical part of the course.
Resources
Lecture Notes
Following script from Plant Nutrition I must be understood:eva-elba.unibas.ch (document sharing platform) Rhizosphere ecology / Prerequisites (restricted access): Physiology of Plan Nutrition + overheads
Literature
script for Plant Nutrition I by Frossard et al.: eva-elba.unibas.ch (document sharing platform) Rhizosphere ecology / Prerequisites (restricted access): Physiology of Plan Nutrition + overheads Pinton, Varanini, Nannipieri (2001) The Rhizosphere, Marcel Dekker, Basel, 424pp. van der Heijden, Sanders (Eds) (2002) Mycorrhizal Ecology, Ecological Studies 157, Springer, Berlin, 472pp. Waisel, Eshel, Kafkafi (Eds) (2002) Plant Roots: The Hidden Half, Marcel Dekker, Basel, 1136 pp. Ehrenfeld, Ravit, Elgersma (2005) Feedback in the plant-soil system. Annual Review of Environment and Resources 30: 75-115. Darrah, Jones, Kirk, Roose (2006) Modelling the rhizosphere: a review of methods for 'upscaling' to the whole-plant scale. European Journal of Soil Science 57: 13-25. Watt, Silk, Passioura (2006) Rates of root and organism growth, soil conditions, and temporal and spatial development of the rhizosphere. Annals of Botany 97: 839-855. Hinsinger, Gobran, Gregory, Wenzel (2005) Rhizosphere geometry and heterogeneity arising from root-mediated physical and chemical processes. New Phytologist 168: 293-303. www.rhizo.at
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise | Rhizosphere Ecology |
|
4 h weekly |