Mild versus severe stress and BVOCs: thresholds, priming and consequences

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric Chemistry
• Plant Physiology
• Biogeochemistry

Background:

• Plant-generated volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are vital for atmospheric processes and plant communication.
• Current research primarily focuses on constitutive emissions (isoprene, monoterpenes) from specific plant species.
• Induced emissions from any plant species under stress are less quantitatively understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of environmental and biotic stresses in inducing BVOC emissions.
• To highlight the importance of stress-induced BVOCs for realistic atmospheric modeling.
• To emphasize the need for quantitative understanding of stress effects on BVOCs.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on constitutive and induced BVOC emissions.
• Analysis of factors influencing induced BVOC emissions (stress tolerance, timing, duration, severity).
• Synthesis of current knowledge on BVOCs in atmospheric and plant signaling contexts.

Main Results:

• Environmental and biotic stresses can trigger a wide range of BVOC emissions in all plant species.
• The quantity of induced BVOCs depends on stress characteristics and plant tolerance.
• Constitutive emissions are well-studied, but induced emissions require more quantitative investigation.

Conclusions:

• Quantitative understanding of stress-induced BVOC emissions is essential for improving atmospheric models.
• Integrating knowledge of both constitutive and induced BVOCs provides a more comprehensive view.
• Future research should focus on the quantitative aspects of stress-induced BVOCs for better ecological predictions.