Assessing the role of fine roots in carbon and nutrient cycling.

Fine roots remain one of the most difficult and important areas to study in terrestrial ecosystems. Recent investigations have focused on carbon and nitrogen balances to assess their dynamics in natural systems. The results of these new, system-level, budgeting approaches together with those of the more conventional biomass measurement methods may provide valuable insight into fine root carbon and nutrient cycling dynamics. These findings, in turn, may facilitate a more holistic understanding of ecosystem structure and function, which is critical for the assessment and prediction of disturbances to terrestrial systems.