Root system of a dead eucalypt
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Root system of a dead eucalypt

by Antonio Jordán, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain

Fallen tree in the Yanchep National Park (Western Australia). The root system is a below-ground structure o plants that serves as physical support and capture water and dissolved minerals. Although the roots are not as visible as the aerial part of the plants, they perform an essential function and, often, the root mass is greater than the aerial mass.