Les Racines. Christophe Drénou, 2006.
Christophe Drénou (2006) Les Racines: face cachée des arbres. Institut pur le Développement Forestier.
So different from the stems, so dependent on the soil and so inaccessible, tree roots have the reputation of being excessively difficult to study and therefore to understand. This is true, but unfortunately for too long it has hampered our desire to deepen our knowledge of the subject. However, contrary to popular belief, researchers and practitioners interested in roots are not disappearing in France: on the initiative of the IDF, no less than 12 specialists have come together to write a lively and attractive synthesis on this other half of the trees! This book, the first of its kind in French, is in three parts. The first part provides essential knowledge of the biology of fine roots, associated micro-organisms, and woody roots. The second part presents soils from the point of view of root anchorage, water supply and mineral nutrition of trees. The third part is devoted to practical applications that can be transposed to forests, parks, and urban environments: root quality, root care, grass-tree root competition, mulching techniques, root damage to infrastructure, etc. This collective synthesis, illustrated by numerous examples, often unpublished, is a reference manual intended for professionals (forestry, ornamental trees, landscaping) as well as for teachers (biology, forestry sciences, environment, pedology) and will also be of interest to all those for whom trees are a passion.
