Root Biology Lab at
The Morton Arboretum

Join our session at AGU

​Submit an abstact to session B061 - Measuring and Modeling the Role of Roots and Belowground Processes in Biogeochemical Cycles​ by July 30th.

Recent Lab Publications

Hou J, ML McCormack, GT Freschet, PB Reich, H Lambers, F Long, T Sun. Phenological patterns and factors affecting the lifespan of fine roots in forests. Tree Physiology, (2025).

Ma N, S Li, ML McCormack, G Freschet, P Ciais, H Wang, S Niu, P Reich, M Zhang, R Zhao, B Zhao, D Gao, A Gessler, Y Huang, J Gu, X Fu, X D, S Meng, J Zheng, F Yang, L Kou. Substantial forest soil carbon accrual from absorptive fine roots over decadal timescales. Nature Geoscience, (2025). 

Kwatcho Kengdo S, ML McCormack, I Ostonen, MS Torn. Fine-root dynamics in deeper soils: a critical but overlooked component of ecosystem responses to climate warming. New Phytologist, https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70326 (2025).

Kou L, N Ma, GT Freschet, ML McCormack, S Li. Iterative effects: a new paradigm for root dynamics. Trends in Plant Science, (2025).

Lu, M, S Wang, A Malhotra, SJ Tumber-Dávila, S Weintraub-Leff, ML McCormack, XT Wang, RB Jackson. A continental scale analysis reveals widespread root bimodality. Nature Communications,16, 5281 (2025). 

Yang Y, ML McCormack, FL Li, W Bao, N Wu, H Hu, Y Wu, Z Wang, D Wei, T Yang, X Li. Variation in root hair traits in 75 xerophytic species: Constraints of phylogeny, trait trade-offs and environment. Functional Ecology (2025).

Wang S, LH Comas, PB Reich, ML McCormack, RP Phillips, J Gu, T Sun. Variation of root resource acquisition and conservation strategies in a temperate forest is linked with plant growth forms. Tree Physiology, tpaf027 (2025).

Wang D, GT Freschet, ML McCormack, H Lambers, J Gu. Nutrient resorption of leaves and roots coordinates with root nutrient‐acquisition strategies in a temperate forest. New Phytologist, 246: 515-527 (2025).

Campioli M, LJ Marchand, C Zahnd, P Zuccarini, ML McCormack, D Landuyt, E Lorer, N Delpierre, J Gričar, Y Vitasse. Environmental Sensitivity and Impact of Climate Change on leaf‑, wood‑ and root Phenology for the Overstory and Understory of Temperate Deciduous Forests. Current Forestry Reports 11: (2025).

Patrick K, M Lo, CM Rigsby, CE Rosenfeld, ML McCormack. Fine-Root Responses of Two Maple and Two Magnolia Species to Waterlogging. Arboriculture and Urban Forestry 51: (2025).

Medina N, L Schmitt, I Perfecto, J Vandermeer. Above- and below-ground links mediated by arboreal ants and host tree modify soil aggregation scaling, infiltration, and chemistry. bioRxiv.