Trees have evolved complex physiological and biochemical adaptations to respond to environmental pressures. Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are essential tools for plant survival under stressful conditions, such as climatic or anthropogenic constraints. Each plant species emits a specific blend of VOCs, depending on the plant genotype, environmental conditions, ontogenetic stage, microbiome, and other factors. The composition of VOCs has a key role in forest ecosystems since it orchestrates external communication to the whole tree population. VOCs are important signalling molecules in both stressed and unstressed trees coordinating plant growth, defence and communication at single plant and biome level.
At a global scale, the emission of BVOCs from plants greatly exceeds emissions from anthropogenic sources, and their release may negatively affect the atmospheric composition, increasing O3 and aerosol formation, especially in polluted areas, which consequently affects the structure and function of plant ecosystems. Given the critical impact of BVOCs on the physical and chemical properties of the atmosphere, understanding how environmental factors control BVOC emission is of particular importance to adequately assess the vulnerability and flexibility of terrestrial ecosystems. Furthermore, there is high interest in BVOC studies due to their suggested protective role in plants experiencing various stress conditions. VOCs are important secondary metabolites that allow plants to counteract photo-oxidative stress by quenching reactive oxygen species and enhancing the thermo-tolerance of chloroplast membranes. On this basis, it is crucial to study the processes and underlying mechanisms steering BVOC emission from trees in different environments to develop future strategies for the management of forest ecosystems and green urban areas. In addition, there is an urgent need to understand the changes in the efficiency of urban and natural forests in both serving as sinks for atmospheric carbon and releasing VOCs because these changes could affect air quality and, consequently, human health.
This Research Topic will encompass ongoing research on the multifaceted effects of environmental pressures on BVOC emissions from forests, including studies conducted on both urban and natural forests. Studies will use multi-scale and multi-disciplinary approaches, from single species adaptation to the whole forest ecosystems. Environmental stressors can trigger single species biochemical and physiological responses and these specific responses can affect forest dynamics at a broader level. Emphasis will be given to empirical research conducted utilizing standardized methodology, innovative approaches, and analytic techniques. Furthermore, Reviews and Opinion articles will help consolidate this Research Topic and furnish new perspectives and future priorities. We welcome submissions on the following subjects:
• Effects of abiotic stresses and air pollution on forest BVOC emissions
• Effects of forest management on BVOC emissions
• Evaluation of the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on forest BVOC emissions
• The air pollution-mitigating effects of urban and natural forests
• Analysis and comparison of emission composition of unstressed trees
• Modelling BVOC emissions at different scales: tree, forest, and ecosystem levels
• Innovative techniques to measure BVOC emission at the tree, forest, and ecosystem levels
• How abiotic stresses modify BVOC mediated plant-insect and plant-plant interaction
• Multitrophic interactions mediated by BVOCs: changes induced by air pollution and abiotic stresses
• Interdisciplinary studies focusing beyond the physiological and ecological aspects but also on social impacts of BVOC emission (ex. on human health)
Trees have evolved complex physiological and biochemical adaptations to respond to environmental pressures. Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are essential tools for plant survival under stressful conditions, such as climatic or anthropogenic constraints. Each plant species emits a specific blend of VOCs, depending on the plant genotype, environmental conditions, ontogenetic stage, microbiome, and other factors. The composition of VOCs has a key role in forest ecosystems since it orchestrates external communication to the whole tree population. VOCs are important signalling molecules in both stressed and unstressed trees coordinating plant growth, defence and communication at single plant and biome level.
At a global scale, the emission of BVOCs from plants greatly exceeds emissions from anthropogenic sources, and their release may negatively affect the atmospheric composition, increasing O3 and aerosol formation, especially in polluted areas, which consequently affects the structure and function of plant ecosystems. Given the critical impact of BVOCs on the physical and chemical properties of the atmosphere, understanding how environmental factors control BVOC emission is of particular importance to adequately assess the vulnerability and flexibility of terrestrial ecosystems. Furthermore, there is high interest in BVOC studies due to their suggested protective role in plants experiencing various stress conditions. VOCs are important secondary metabolites that allow plants to counteract photo-oxidative stress by quenching reactive oxygen species and enhancing the thermo-tolerance of chloroplast membranes. On this basis, it is crucial to study the processes and underlying mechanisms steering BVOC emission from trees in different environments to develop future strategies for the management of forest ecosystems and green urban areas. In addition, there is an urgent need to understand the changes in the efficiency of urban and natural forests in both serving as sinks for atmospheric carbon and releasing VOCs because these changes could affect air quality and, consequently, human health.
This Research Topic will encompass ongoing research on the multifaceted effects of environmental pressures on BVOC emissions from forests, including studies conducted on both urban and natural forests. Studies will use multi-scale and multi-disciplinary approaches, from single species adaptation to the whole forest ecosystems. Environmental stressors can trigger single species biochemical and physiological responses and these specific responses can affect forest dynamics at a broader level. Emphasis will be given to empirical research conducted utilizing standardized methodology, innovative approaches, and analytic techniques. Furthermore, Reviews and Opinion articles will help consolidate this Research Topic and furnish new perspectives and future priorities. We welcome submissions on the following subjects:
• Effects of abiotic stresses and air pollution on forest BVOC emissions
• Effects of forest management on BVOC emissions
• Evaluation of the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on forest BVOC emissions
• The air pollution-mitigating effects of urban and natural forests
• Analysis and comparison of emission composition of unstressed trees
• Modelling BVOC emissions at different scales: tree, forest, and ecosystem levels
• Innovative techniques to measure BVOC emission at the tree, forest, and ecosystem levels
• How abiotic stresses modify BVOC mediated plant-insect and plant-plant interaction
• Multitrophic interactions mediated by BVOCs: changes induced by air pollution and abiotic stresses
• Interdisciplinary studies focusing beyond the physiological and ecological aspects but also on social impacts of BVOC emission (ex. on human health)
