Tomographic Investigations Relevant to the Rhizosphere.

The rhizosphere is a complex system that requires knowledge of fluid transport of nutrients and contaminants in the subsurface region, interaction of water, soils, microbes, and plant tissues at the soil-water-root interface, and transport of metals and organic compounds through the plant tissue.  Tomography is a powerful analytical method that can be applied to all components of the rhizosphere and across the range of size scales of interest.  Here, we describe relevant synchrotron computed microtomography experiments on soil and root structures that were carried out at the Brookhaven National Synchrotron Light Source.