Effect of soil compaction on functional equilibrium and biomass allocation of Cupressus sempervirens L. var. horizontalis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of soil compaction on functional equilibrium and biomass allocation, root growth and morphological characteristics of Cypress seedlings. As a result, seeds with the highest morphological features were collected and planted in plastic pots in loam or clay loams soils with constant moisture regime. They were studied in six levels soil compaction tension. The morphological parameters of the seedlings, plant growth and seedling architecture were calculated. In all cases, the mean of Cypress seedlings morphological response were significantly decreased when compaction level increasing. The relation of morphological response and increase soil penetration resistance were negative quadratic. Also, the relation between soil penetration resistance and seedling growth parameters were negative quadratic which is high at the beginning and then its value was decreased. The best regression equation distributed between ratio of root length and root weight (0.0126), stem length and stem weight (0.0841), length of lateral root and length of main root (0.1716), weight of lateral root and dry weight of root (0.2676), rate of root biomass (0.0576), weight of root and weight of shoots (0.0466), rate of leaves biomass (0.2426) and rate of stem biomass (0.0541) were obtained quadratic. The results showed that soil compaction tension affect the functional equilibrium and morphological characteristics of seedlings, seedling growth and Cypress architecture.