Does water shortage generate water stress? An ecohydrological approach across Mediterranean plant communities

Plant responses to water stress.

This Special Issue comprises a series of papers that develops the theme of plant responses to water stress, encompassing recent developments at the molecular level, through responses of photosynthesis and metabolism, to their application in crop selection and yield. The consideration of water deficits is particularly timely, given the huge developments in this area in the past decade. This issu...

Plant Response to Water-deficit Stress

Drought, a period of abnormally dry weather, results in soil-water deficit and subsequently plant-water deficit. The lack ofwater in the environment constitutes a stresswhen it induces an injury in the plant. Water deficit in the plant disrupts many cellular and whole plant functions, having a negative impact on plant growth and reproduction. Crop yields are reduced by 69% on average when plant...

Water shortage in Australian fast food outlets.

How Does Silicon Mediate Plant Water Uptake and Loss Under Water Deficiency?

In plants, water deficiency can result from a deficit of water from the soil, an obstacle to the uptake of water or the excess water loss; in these cases, the similar consequence is the limitation of plant growth and crop yield. Silicon (Si) has been widely reported to alleviate the plant water status and water balance under variant stress conditions in both monocot and dicot plants, especially...

From leaf to forests: Measuring vegetation water stress across scales

Vegetation water stress significantly affects agricultural and tropical forest canopies. Water shortages in crops influence plant water dynamics, reduces primary production and might eventually lead to plant death. Tropical forests are essential part of global carbon and water cycle. Continuing drying of e.g. the Amazon rainforest might accelerate climate change through carbon losses and changi...