International postgraduate course

Root Ecology

Adaptation and Interaction in Natural and Agricultural Systems

23 - 28 February 2025

Parkhotel De Bosrand, Bosrand 28, Ede, the Netherlands

Scope

Roots play a crucial role in plant life, and especially in a rapidly changing world. Roots take up essential plant resources subject to global change (water and nutrients) and interact with soil biota that provide both threats (e.g. soilborne pathogens) and opportunities (e.g., mycorrhizal fungi) to plants whose dispersion and functioning is changing as well. Given this array of challenges to plants and ecosystems, the question is what role roots can play in tackling these challenges for plant life and the ecosystems they grow in. For one, how can plant roots adapt to the changes, and how does this impact plant functioning and performance? And how do the interactions with the (a)biotic environment change as result of the environmental changes?

Significant research has been done on plant responses to changes in the environment, in which an important role for roots has been recognized. However, given the complexity of belowground dynamics and measurement thereof, understanding root functioning remains challenging. Recent novel technologies and methodologies may hereby give support in finding insight and solutions to the challenges mentioned. Moreover, there is increased understanding of roots in natural ecosystems and how this insight can help making our crops more resource efficient, while work on below-ground resource efficiency in agricultural ecosystems enriches ecological theories. Effectively coupling studies of root responses to the environment at various spatial and temporal scales would give promising impact towards addressing the role of roots in current and future, climate-changed, natural and agricultural ecosystems. These questions need to be addressed given the essence roots play in the production of food for man and the herbivorous life on earth.

The central scope of this course will be the fundamental concepts of root ecology, with a focus on root interactions with the abiotic and biotic environment. Specific topics will include:

• Root adaptation and interaction: the abiotic environment
• Root adaptation and interaction: the biotic environment
• Root adaptation and interaction: architecture and anatomy
• Root phenotyping and other methods and technology in root research

Course Set-up

The course is composed of a series of lectures, discussions sessions, working group activities, hands-on data analyses, excursions to root research sites, and a final course debate of a case study.

1. Key-note / Introduction Lecture
The course starts off on Sunday afternoon with an introduction to the course, followed by a key-note address by Hans Lambers who will give an overview is of the current state of knowledge on roots and provoke the discussion with challenging statements.

2. Poster Carousel
After the Sunday dinner there will be a poster carousel in which participants introduce themselves via a poster. Each round lasts 15 minutes (5 minutes introduction and 10 minutes questions and discussion). The poster is according to a fixed format which is printed by the PE&RC Office.

3. Lectures and Discussion
Each day will start off with a set of 3 lectures. After each lecture (30 minutes), a discussion of 30 minutes is held in which participants challenge the speaker on the presentation and a paper that the speaker submitted a-priori.

4. Working groups
Afternoons working groups (5-6 participants per group) will envision future developments in root research in the context of root interactions (and in the framework of interactions of root ecologists who work in natural and agricultural ecosystems). In these sessions, groups should focus on the cutting-edge issue in the field chosen by the group. Besides addressing conceptual frameworks, groups must determine which experimental design, methods, models and analyses are appropriate to address the issue. At the end of the course (Friday morning), groups will present the output of their work.

5. Methodology carousel
During the methodology carousel participants will be introduced to a set of novel methods and techniques in root research. This will be done via 3 1-hour sessions in which 5 demonstrations are given that participants select beforehand.

Organisers

• Kristian Thorup Kristensen (University of Copenhagen)
• Dorte Bodin Dressbol (University of Copenhagen)
• Marie Zwetsloot (Wageningen University)
• Monique Weemstra (Wageningen University)
• Tino Kreszies (Wageningen University)
• Rik van de Zedde (Wageningen University)
• Hannah Schneider (Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research)
• Claudius van de Vijver (Graduate School Production Ecology & Resource Conservation)
• Gilian van Duijvendijk (Graduate School Production Ecology & Resource Conservation)

General information

Fees ¹

¹ The course fee includes accommodation, all meals, coffee/tea, and course materials. It does not include beverages in the bar.
² The Early-Bird Fee applies to anyone who REGISTERS ON OR BEFORE 23 DECEMBER 2024
 

Note:

• The Early-Bird policy is such that the moment of REGISTRATION (and not payment) is leading for determining the fee that applies to you.
• Please make sure that your payment is arranged within two weeks after your registration or after receiving the invoice. Arrange your payment immediately if you register two weeks or less before the start of the course. 
• It is the participant's responsibility to make sure that the payment correctly and in time.

PE&RC Cancellation Conditions

IMPORTANT: ALWAYS read the Cancellation conditions for PE&RC courses and activities.

Note: If you would like to cancel your registration, ALWAYS inform us. By NOT paying the participation fee, your registration is NOT automatically cancelled (and do note that you will be kept to the cancellation conditions)

More information

Dr Claudius van de Vijver (PE&RC)
Phone: +31 (0) 317 485116
Email: claudius.vandevijver@wur.nl

Registration

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