Ebook: Interacting Stresses on Plants in a Changing Climate

Books dealing with climatic change are commonplace, as are those concerned with effects of environmental stresses on plants. The present volume distinguishes itself from earlier publications by highlighting several interrelated environmental stresses that are changing in intensity as the climate warms in response to the accumulation of 'greenhouse' gases. The stresses examined at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop upon which this book is based include atmospheric pollutants, flooding and sub­ mergence, drought and cold. In future, successful farming or landscape management will ultimately depend on strategies that offset the effects of these and other environmental constraints, while exploiting more favourable features. However, the to predicted speed of climate change may exceed the rate at which new approaches farming, forestry, landscape management and genetic conservation can be developed through experience and retroactive response. The alternative is to anticipate future needs and thus identify appropriate management and legislative strategies by research and discussion. The contents of this volume contribute to these vital processes, upon which the productivity of agroecosystems and conservation of natural ecosystems may increasingly depend. Those with any lingering doubts concerning the gravity of the likely future situation are especially encouraged to read the opening chapter. For convenience, chapters discussing pollution, flooding, drought and cold are grouped in separate sections. However, many authors have taken care to emphasise that interactions between the changing combinations of stresses pose particular problems for plants and plant communities.

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The current climatic changes mean increasing environmental stress on plants: gaseous pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone and oxides of nitrogen, together with the impacts of flooding and submergence, drought and cold. The physiological, biochemical and molecular biological bases of injury to plants and their adaptations to this stress are discussed in this volume. The importance of the combined effects of more than one type of stress is emphasized, e.g. increased ultraviolet (UVB) radiation exacerbating injury from drought or offsetting beneficial effects of increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The prospects for improving tolerance to environmental stress by genetic engineering are assessed and some examples of recent progress described.

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The current climatic changes mean increasing environmental stress on plants: gaseous pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone and oxides of nitrogen, together with the impacts of flooding and submergence, drought and cold. The physiological, biochemical and molecular biological bases of injury to plants and their adaptations to this stress are discussed in this volume. The importance of the combined effects of more than one type of stress is emphasized, e.g. increased ultraviolet (UVB) radiation exacerbating injury from drought or offsetting beneficial effects of increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The prospects for improving tolerance to environmental stress by genetic engineering are assessed and some examples of recent progress described.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XVIII
Front Matter....Pages XIX-XIX
The Potential Effects of Climate Change on World Food Supply....Pages 1-26
Manifestations of Mechanical Stress in Membranes: A Prospective Hypothesis of Endogenous Expression of Exogenous Stress Signalling....Pages 27-48
Front Matter....Pages 49-49
Significance of Increasing Ambient CO2 for Plant Growth and Survival, and Interactions with Air Pollution....Pages 51-75
Ozone, Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides: Some Effects on the Water Relations of Herbaceous Plants and Trees....Pages 77-88
Ozone/Sulphur Dioxide Interactions in Temperate Arable Crops....Pages 89-110
Predisposition to Stress Following Exposure to Air Pollution....Pages 111-123
Influence of Nitrogenous Air Pollutants on Carbon Dioxide and Ozone Effects on Vegetation....Pages 125-137
Impact of Air Pollutants on Plants in Hot, Dry Climates....Pages 139-152
The Molecular Biology of Plants Exposed to Ultraviolet-B Radiation and the Interaction with Other Stresses....Pages 153-170
The Assessment of Plant Damage by Reactive Hydrocarbons and their Oxidation Products....Pages 171-183
Too Much of a Good Thing? Long-Term Exposure to Elevated CO2 Decreases Carboxylating and Photorespiratory Enzymes and Increases Respiratory Enzyme Activity in Spruce....Pages 185-194
Front Matter....Pages 195-195
Climatic Change and Wetland Vegetation in Northern Europe....Pages 197-210
Response of Coastal Vegetation to Flooding and Salinity: A Case Study in the Rapidly Subsiding Mississippi River Deltaic Plain, USA....Pages 211-229
Flood Tolerant and Flood Sensitive Plants Under Primary and Secondary Anoxia....Pages 231-241
Responses to Total Submergence in Tolerant and Intolerant Riverside Species....Pages 243-266
Inorganic Carbon Assimilation and Growth of Aquatic Macrophytes....Pages 267-285
A Microelectrode Study of Oxygen Distribution in the Roots of Intact Maize Seedlings....Pages 287-304
Long Term Survival of Rhizomatous Species Under Oxygen Deprivation....Pages 305-314
Promotion of Stem Extension in an Aquatic Monocot (Potamogeton Pectinatus L.) by the Complete Absence of Oxygen, and by Partial Oxygen Shortage....Pages 315-325
Metabolic Acclimation to Anoxic Conditions and Biochemical Basis of Death....Pages 327-332
Front Matter....Pages 195-195
Energy and Fermentation Metabolism in Hypoxic Rice Coleoptiles — A Multinuclear NMR Approach....Pages 333-352
Endogenous Phytohormones and Germination of Rice Under Anoxia: Indoleacetic Acid and Abscisic Acid....Pages 353-363
Preliminary Evidence of Nitrate Assimilation during the Anaerobic Germination of Rice....Pages 365-374
Molecular Genetic Basis of Metabolic Adaptation to Anoxia in Maize and its Possible Utility for Improving Tolerance of Crops to Soil Waterlogging....Pages 375-393
Metabolic Acclimation in Winter Cereals by Interacting Low Temperature Stresses....Pages 395-406
Metabolic and Cellular Impact of Ice Encasement on Herbage Plants....Pages 407-421
Responses of Nodulated Legumes to Oxygen Deficiency....Pages 423-432
Front Matter....Pages 433-433
Effects of Drought and Elevated CO2 on Plant Water Use Efficiency and Productivity....Pages 435-465
Water Relations in Controlled Environments and the Field....Pages 467-483
The Physiology of Survival at the Limits of Farming in the Dry Tropics....Pages 485-496
Plant Water Stress Under Low Rainfall, High Temperature Summer Conditions in Portugal....Pages 497-509
Identification of Stress Tolerance Traits in Sugar Beet....Pages 511-524
Stomatal Responses to Abscisic Acid in Natural Environments....Pages 525-542
ABA and the Control of Growth and Physiology of Stressed Plants....Pages 543-555
Regulation of Root Growth at Low Water Potentials....Pages 557-572
Stress-Enhanced Metabolism of Abscisic Acid....Pages 573-581
Molecular Biological Responses to Drought in Maize....Pages 583-591
Replacement of Glycine Betaine by ?-Alanine Betaine, Choline-O-Sulphate or Dimethylsulphoniopropionate in Plants Adapted to Interacting Stresses....Pages 593-601
Wall Extensibility and the Growth of Salt Stressed Leaves....Pages 603-615
Growth and Composition of Nitrogen and Water Stressed Pepper Plants, Their Assessment by Remote Sensing and Their Herbivory Effects....Pages 617-631
Front Matter....Pages 433-433
Screening Methods for Determining Drought Resistance in Barley....Pages 633-642
Front Matter....Pages 645-645
Low Temperature Induced Biochemical Mechanisms: Implications for Cold Acclimation and De-Acclimation....Pages 647-657
Molecular Mechanisms of Freeze-Thaw Injury and Cold Acclimation in Herbaceous Plants: Merging Physiological and Genetic Approaches....Pages 659-680
Molecular Biology of Cold Tolerance....Pages 681-695
Redesigning Crops for Increased Tolerance to Freezing Stress....Pages 697-714
The Molecular Mechanism of the Low- Temperature Tolerance of Plants Studied by Gene Technology of Membrane Lipids....Pages 715-723
Aspects of the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Cold Tolerance in Plants....Pages 725-739
Front Matter....Pages 741-741
Report of Atmospheric Pollution Working Group....Pages 743-747
Report of Flooding and Submergence Working Group....Pages 749-751
Report of Drought Stress Working Group....Pages 753-754
Report of Cold Stress Working Group....Pages 755-756
Back Matter....Pages 757-771

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The current climatic changes mean increasing environmental stress on plants: gaseous pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone and oxides of nitrogen, together with the impacts of flooding and submergence, drought and cold. The physiological, biochemical and molecular biological bases of injury to plants and their adaptations to this stress are discussed in this volume. The importance of the combined effects of more than one type of stress is emphasized, e.g. increased ultraviolet (UVB) radiation exacerbating injury from drought or offsetting beneficial effects of increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The prospects for improving tolerance to environmental stress by genetic engineering are assessed and some examples of recent progress described.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XVIII
Front Matter....Pages XIX-XIX
The Potential Effects of Climate Change on World Food Supply....Pages 1-26
Manifestations of Mechanical Stress in Membranes: A Prospective Hypothesis of Endogenous Expression of Exogenous Stress Signalling....Pages 27-48
Front Matter....Pages 49-49
Significance of Increasing Ambient CO2 for Plant Growth and Survival, and Interactions with Air Pollution....Pages 51-75
Ozone, Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides: Some Effects on the Water Relations of Herbaceous Plants and Trees....Pages 77-88
Ozone/Sulphur Dioxide Interactions in Temperate Arable Crops....Pages 89-110
Predisposition to Stress Following Exposure to Air Pollution....Pages 111-123
Influence of Nitrogenous Air Pollutants on Carbon Dioxide and Ozone Effects on Vegetation....Pages 125-137
Impact of Air Pollutants on Plants in Hot, Dry Climates....Pages 139-152
The Molecular Biology of Plants Exposed to Ultraviolet-B Radiation and the Interaction with Other Stresses....Pages 153-170
The Assessment of Plant Damage by Reactive Hydrocarbons and their Oxidation Products....Pages 171-183
Too Much of a Good Thing? Long-Term Exposure to Elevated CO2 Decreases Carboxylating and Photorespiratory Enzymes and Increases Respiratory Enzyme Activity in Spruce....Pages 185-194
Front Matter....Pages 195-195
Climatic Change and Wetland Vegetation in Northern Europe....Pages 197-210
Response of Coastal Vegetation to Flooding and Salinity: A Case Study in the Rapidly Subsiding Mississippi River Deltaic Plain, USA....Pages 211-229
Flood Tolerant and Flood Sensitive Plants Under Primary and Secondary Anoxia....Pages 231-241
Responses to Total Submergence in Tolerant and Intolerant Riverside Species....Pages 243-266
Inorganic Carbon Assimilation and Growth of Aquatic Macrophytes....Pages 267-285
A Microelectrode Study of Oxygen Distribution in the Roots of Intact Maize Seedlings....Pages 287-304
Long Term Survival of Rhizomatous Species Under Oxygen Deprivation....Pages 305-314
Promotion of Stem Extension in an Aquatic Monocot (Potamogeton Pectinatus L.) by the Complete Absence of Oxygen, and by Partial Oxygen Shortage....Pages 315-325
Metabolic Acclimation to Anoxic Conditions and Biochemical Basis of Death....Pages 327-332
Front Matter....Pages 195-195
Energy and Fermentation Metabolism in Hypoxic Rice Coleoptiles — A Multinuclear NMR Approach....Pages 333-352
Endogenous Phytohormones and Germination of Rice Under Anoxia: Indoleacetic Acid and Abscisic Acid....Pages 353-363
Preliminary Evidence of Nitrate Assimilation during the Anaerobic Germination of Rice....Pages 365-374
Molecular Genetic Basis of Metabolic Adaptation to Anoxia in Maize and its Possible Utility for Improving Tolerance of Crops to Soil Waterlogging....Pages 375-393
Metabolic Acclimation in Winter Cereals by Interacting Low Temperature Stresses....Pages 395-406
Metabolic and Cellular Impact of Ice Encasement on Herbage Plants....Pages 407-421
Responses of Nodulated Legumes to Oxygen Deficiency....Pages 423-432
Front Matter....Pages 433-433
Effects of Drought and Elevated CO2 on Plant Water Use Efficiency and Productivity....Pages 435-465
Water Relations in Controlled Environments and the Field....Pages 467-483
The Physiology of Survival at the Limits of Farming in the Dry Tropics....Pages 485-496
Plant Water Stress Under Low Rainfall, High Temperature Summer Conditions in Portugal....Pages 497-509
Identification of Stress Tolerance Traits in Sugar Beet....Pages 511-524
Stomatal Responses to Abscisic Acid in Natural Environments....Pages 525-542
ABA and the Control of Growth and Physiology of Stressed Plants....Pages 543-555
Regulation of Root Growth at Low Water Potentials....Pages 557-572
Stress-Enhanced Metabolism of Abscisic Acid....Pages 573-581
Molecular Biological Responses to Drought in Maize....Pages 583-591
Replacement of Glycine Betaine by ?-Alanine Betaine, Choline-O-Sulphate or Dimethylsulphoniopropionate in Plants Adapted to Interacting Stresses....Pages 593-601
Wall Extensibility and the Growth of Salt Stressed Leaves....Pages 603-615
Growth and Composition of Nitrogen and Water Stressed Pepper Plants, Their Assessment by Remote Sensing and Their Herbivory Effects....Pages 617-631
Front Matter....Pages 433-433
Screening Methods for Determining Drought Resistance in Barley....Pages 633-642
Front Matter....Pages 645-645
Low Temperature Induced Biochemical Mechanisms: Implications for Cold Acclimation and De-Acclimation....Pages 647-657
Molecular Mechanisms of Freeze-Thaw Injury and Cold Acclimation in Herbaceous Plants: Merging Physiological and Genetic Approaches....Pages 659-680
Molecular Biology of Cold Tolerance....Pages 681-695
Redesigning Crops for Increased Tolerance to Freezing Stress....Pages 697-714
The Molecular Mechanism of the Low- Temperature Tolerance of Plants Studied by Gene Technology of Membrane Lipids....Pages 715-723
Aspects of the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Cold Tolerance in Plants....Pages 725-739
Front Matter....Pages 741-741
Report of Atmospheric Pollution Working Group....Pages 743-747
Report of Flooding and Submergence Working Group....Pages 749-751
Report of Drought Stress Working Group....Pages 753-754
Report of Cold Stress Working Group....Pages 755-756
Back Matter....Pages 757-771
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