DepZone is a small program that was written for post processing of SimRoot 4 output. It specifically calculates the volume and overlap of the phosphorus depletion zones. DepZone basically converts SimRoot's geometric output to a raster and than counts voxels inside the depletion zones. DepZone is not updated and does not work with the current version. Depzone was used in Ge et al. (2000) and Ma et al. (2001).
Analytical calculation of depletion zone overlap is difficult because of the complex 3D architecture. Thus a rastering approach, as used by depzone, was proposed by Fitter et al. (1991). An alternative method, based on scanining along horizontal planes is used by Berntson (1994).
The biggest drawback of both methods is that the nutrient depletion is not equal distributed in the depletion zones. Thus overlap at the edges may encompase more volume but have less effect on nutrient competition.
- G. M. Berntson, "Modelling Root Architecture: Are There Tradeoffs between Efficiency and Potential of Resource Acquisition?," New Phytologist 127, no. 3 (July 1994): 483-493.
- A. H. Fitter et al., "Architectural Analysis of Plant Root Systems. 1. Architectural Correlates of Exploitation Efficiency," New Phytologist 118, no. 3 (July 1991): 375-382.
- Z Y Ge, G. Rubio, and J P Lynch, "The importance of root gravitropism for inter-root competition and phosphorus acquisition efficiency: results from a geometric simulation model," Plant and Soil 218, no. 1 (2000): 159-171.
- Z. Ma et al., "Morphological synergism in root hair length, density, initiation and geometry for phosphorus acquisition in Arabidopsis thaliana: A modeling approach," Plant and Soil 236, no. 2 (2001): 221-235.
