Root profile assessment by means of hydrological, pedological and above-ground vegetation information for bio-engineering purposes

We propose a method for assessing root profiles by means of hydrological, pedological and above-ground vegetation information. The method is analytical and allows one to relate the vertical distribution of plant roots to the local climatic and pedological conditions. The model does not require calibration and employs only data that are easily available. The model has been applied to two case studies in central Italy and proved effective for assessing both root area and average rooting depth as functions of depth. Plant rooting systems turn out to be closer to the soil surface where the soils are clay-textured and where the evaporation/precipitation ratio is large (intensive water use). The proposed methodology would be useful for slope ecosystem restoration, non-destructive analysis of the stability of vegetated slopes, and planning soil bio-engineering works. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.