ABSTRACT
Fractal geometry has been successfully used to develop relatively simple algorithms that can reasonably approximate many complex plant forms observed in nature. The root systems of plants also appear have fractal properties. In general, differences in fractal dimensions appear to reflect changes in root system size and architecture. In all but one published study, fractal dimensions varied significantly between different species and/or genotypes. Quantifying root deployment through space is vital to understanding root system ability to capture resources present in a 3-dimensional, heterogeneous matrix. Methods to measure root system architecture have depended on three main approaches to sample preparation: non-destructive tracing, removal of soil with attention to spatial arrangement, and removal from soil with spatial arrangement lost. Understanding the variation in the context of fractal properties of plant root systems, in terms of both developmental and space-filling patterns, could greatly aid our ability to determine the functional implications of these patterns.
