Root Biology Lab at
The Morton Arboretum

Attend the
International Symposium on Woody Root Research
3-5 June 2026, Como, Italy

Registration and abstract submission are now open. Hotels will fill up so don't delay, register for the meeting and reserve your room today!
Attend our session at AGU

​Friday, December 19th!
​ 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, (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.