The leaves rolled or folded and many of the lower ones dried and lost their green color. The evidence pointed clearly to a meager or inefficient root system. Grazing effects on the root system are much less known than grazing effects on the above ground part of plants. This is largely explained by the difficulties in accessing and monitoring plant roots. Several methods have been utilized to asses the effects of grazing on roots.
Treatments also vary between studies.
Here we chose to focus on how grazing affects root biomass, vertical distribution and physiology. As an introduction to our special section on grassland invasion, we hypothesize that a reduction in grasses' rooting depth may increase water availability for shrubs and therefore facilitate shrub encroachment in grasslands.