The ecology of uniformly and non-uniformly distributed roots in layered and/or heterogeneous substrates, especially sand-peat-clay mixes, have been studied from literature and through a case study. There is a strong interaction between soil layering and/or heterogeneity and local root growth and local branching rate. In principle, the minimum area of root surface that a plant needs is very low. Real situations have much higher root surface areas for several reasons, one being the absence of synchronisation and synlocation of supply and demand of nutrients and water
