Root seasonal pattern, spatial distribution, and C:N ratio of matgrass pasture (Nardus stricta L.) in the Lombardy Prealps

Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate carbon and nutrient cycling and the role of root dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems such as large abandoned pastures and natural grasslands present in the Prealps, for which below‐ground processes are currently enigmatic. In particular, we quantified root/leaf biomass and C:N ratio throughout two growing seasons. Additionally, root traits such as root length density (RLD), root mass density (RMD), and root diameter classes (RDC) were also investigated with the aim of understanding the spatial distribution of roots in the soil. In our samples, we found that the roots could be divided into three main diameter classes and hence quantified the presence of each class along the soil profile. With regard to total root biomass, we found the occurrence of two peaks of biomass accumulation during the growth season, and when biomass accumulation was compared with climatic data, it was impossible to obtain a clear indication of the root turnover rate. In fact, ...