Why fine tree roots are stronger than thicker roots: The role of cellulose and lignin in relation to slope stability

• A significant power relationship exists between root tensile strength and diameter.
• Cellulose content increases with increasing root diameter.
• A positive relationship is found between lignin content and root tensile strength.
• No positive relationship is found between cellulose content and tensile strength.
• Lignin/cellulose ratio has a positive correlation with root tensile strength.

Plant roots help to reinforce the soil, increase slope stability and decrease water erosion. Root tensile strength plays an important role in soil reinforcement and slope stabilization. The relationship between tensile strength and internal chemical composition of roots is unknown due to limited studies. Thus, it is difficult to determine why root tensile strength tends to decrease with increasing root diameter. In this study, biomechanical and biochemical tests were performed on the roots of Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) to determine the relationships among tensile strength and the contents of the main chemical composition: cellulose, alpha-cellulose and lignin in the roots with different diameters. Our results confirmed that the tensile strength of Chinese pine roots decreased with increasing root diameter, and this relationship might be a power function. The chemical contents of the roots and root diameter were also related to each other with significant power regression. With increasing root diameter, the cellulose content and alpha-cellulose content increased, but the lignin content decreased. In addition, the lignin content exhibited a significantly positive relationship with tensile strength. Furthermore, the ratios of lignin/cellulose and lignin/alpha-cellulose decreased with increasing root diameter following significant power regressions, and they also demonstrated a positive relationship with tensile strength. Taken together, these results may be useful for studies on root tensile strength, soil reinforcement and slope stability.