About this Research Topic

Background

Aquatic plants, such as floating macrophytes, submerged macrophytes, emergent macrophytes, wetland plants, and algae, play vital roles in maintaining the health and functioning of aquatic ecosystems. However, increasing environmental stressors such as pollution, climate change, habitat alteration, and nutrient imbalances are impacting the functional responses of these plants. Current progress is impeded by the complexity of aquatic ecosystems and the intricate interactions between different stressors. Additionally, the long-term effects of these stressors on the resilience and adaptability of aquatic plant populations are not yet fully understood.

This Research Topic aims to explore the diverse and complex ways in which aquatic plants respond to various stressors, shedding light on their adaptation mechanisms, resilience, and potential for ecosystem restoration. We invite researchers, ecologists, and environmental scientists to contribute to this article collection, focusing on the functional response of aquatic plants to environmental stressors.

We welcome all submission types published in Frontiers in Plant Science. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

1. Physiological and Biochemical Adaptations: Investigating how aquatic plants adjust their physiological and biochemical processes in response to stressors such as pollution, temperature changes, and nutrient limitations.
2. Morphological Plasticity: Exploring the morphological changes and adaptations that aquatic plants undergo to cope with altered environmental conditions.
3. Ecosystem Services: Assessing the impact of stress-induced changes in aquatic plant communities on ecosystem services such as water quality improvement, carbon sequestration, and habitat provision.
4. Interactions with Other Organisms: Examining how stress-induced alterations in aquatic plants influence their interactions with other organisms, including competition, herbivory, and symbiotic relationships.
5. Restoration and Management: Presenting innovative strategies for using aquatic plants in ecosystem restoration and management efforts, considering their functional traits and responses to stressors.

Keywords: Aquatic vegetation, global environmental change, multiple stressors, functional response, adaptation, ecosystem restoration

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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