The Behavioral Ecology of Nutrient Foraging by Plants

Abstract

Foraging for resources influences ecological interactions among individuals and species, regardless of taxonomic affiliation. Here we review studies of nutrient foraging in plants, with an emphasis on how nutritious and non-nutritious cues in the soil alter behavioral decisions and patterns of root placement. Three patterns emerge: (a) Plants alter root placement in response to many diverse cues; (b) species respond differently to these cues; and (c) there are nonadditive responses to multiple cues, indicating that plants exhibit complex multidimensional root foraging strategies. We suggest that this complexity calls for novel approaches to understanding nutrient foraging by plants. Resource selection functions are commonly used by animal behaviorists and may be useful to describe plant foraging strategies. Understanding such approaches may allow researchers to link individual behavior to population and community dynamics.