Soil exploration and resource acquisition by plant roots:: an architectural and modelling point of view

We provide a brief overview on soil exploration and resource extraction by roots during the course of plant development. First, we examine how roots explore the soil volume in relation with the heterogeneity of soil conditions. We then consider resource acquisition by roots and root systems, taking into account the root system's heterogeneous functioning and its variable degree of plasticity. In extensive, complex and dynamic systems such as root systems, processes of soil exploration and resource acquisition can be analysed through the unifying point of view of root system architecture. We exemplify how a modelling approach based on the concepts of functional architecture has potential to provide sharper insight into the soil exploration/utilization processes.