Does the age of fine root carbon indicate the age of fine roots in boreal forests?

To test the reliability of the radiocarbon method for determining root age, we analyzed fine roots (originating from the years 1985 to 1993) from ingrowth cores with known maximum root age (1 to 6 years old). For this purpose, three Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands were selected from boreal forests in Finland. We analyzed root 14C age by the radiocarbon method and compared it with the above-mentioned known maximum fine root age. In general, ages determined by the two methods (root 14C age and ingrowth core root maximum age) were in agreement with each other for roots of small diameter (<0.5mm). By contrast, in most of the samples of fine roots of larger diameter (1.5-2mm), the 14C age of root samples of 1987-89 exceeded the ingrowth core root maximum age by 1-10 years. This shows that these roots had received a large amount of older stored carbon from unknown sources in addition to atmospheric CO2 directly from photosynthesis. We conclude that the 14C signature of fine roots, especially those of larger diameter, may not always be indicative of root age, and that further studies are needed concerning the extent of possible root uptake of older carbon and its residence time in roots. Keywords: fine root age, Pinus sylvestris, radiocarbon, root carbon, ingrowth cores, tree ring

Recovering Nussbaum's aristotelian roots

Abstract: The paper examines the relationship between Creating Capabilities and political liberalism. Originally founded on the basis of Aristotelian philosophy, the theory of ‘capabilities’ developed by Nussbaum turns to political liberalism in the mid 90’s. Throughout the article, the principles of both perspectives are depicted and contrasted, focusing on the capacity of affiliation, the concept of common good and the idea of freedom. Severine Deneulin argues that the current reality calls for the capabilities approach to be more rooted in a relational anthropology which the Aristotelian ethical tradition is more akin to. This line can be found in Nussbaum’s first approach to the theory of capabilities, where affiliation as an architectonic capability leads to the common good being the end of political action, and practical reason as an architectonic capability leads to reasoning ordered towards the achievement of the common good, to the detriment of individualism.

Altruism with Social Roots: An Emerging Literature

Revised: 2007-01.-- Published as an article in: Revista Desarrollo y Sociedad (2006), Semestre II, pp. 245-260.

Roots of prosperity: the Pacific Coast Watershed Partnership

pdf contains 16 pages