Published in Scientific Papers. Series E. Land Reclamation, Earth Observation & Surveying, Environmental Engineering, Vol. XIV
Written by Senad MURTIĆ, Adnan HADŽIĆ
The phenomenon of global climate change, largely driven by human activities and associated with rising air temperatures, not only leads to intensified and longer-lasting droughts, but also increases the likelihood of extreme precipitation events that may trigger flooding concerns. The stress caused by soil waterlogging is intricate, leading to several concurrent challenges that disrupt normal plant functioning. A key challenge is the oxygen deficiency, which arises from the considerably reduced diffusion rates in floodwater relative to those in the atmosphere. The ability of plants to adapt to waterlogging stress is quite limited primarily because of the partial or complete absence of oxygen in the growth medium. However, certain plant species have evolved specific mechanisms through evolution that allow them to survive for a certain duration in hypoxic or anoxic environments. These mechanisms can be classified into two broad categories: plant morpho-anatomical adaptations to waterlogging stress and the biochemical and physiological responses of plants to such stress. These adaptations are interconnected rather than acting in isolation. Instead, they are intricately connected. This review explores: (i) the impact of soil waterlogging on plant development and function; (ii) current insights into the signal transduction pathways involved in stress recognition and response; and (iii) the key morpho-anatomical and physiological strategies plants use to cope with waterlogged conditions.
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