Global environmental change mediated response of wetland plants: Evidence from past decades

Wetland ecosystems are critically affected by global environmental changes, yet understanding the impact of these changes on wetland plants remains a challenge. This review article employs a comprehensive approach, including bibliographic analysis, utilization of various climate models for historical data retrieval, and extensive literature survey, to investigate the response of wetland plants to environmental shifts over the past decades. The analysis conducted in this study uncovers a multitude of climatic parameters that exhibit an influence on the dynamics of wetland vegetation. Results indicated a significant positive trend in atmospheric CO₂ concentration, leading to increased water use efficiency in some plant species, particularly C3 plants. However, C4 plants did not show the same positive response. Nitrous oxide growth rate showed a weaker, less consistent trend than CO₂, highlighting the need for further investigation into the complex factors influencing Nitrous oxide emissions from wetlands. Methane growth rate and global mean sea level demonstrated a strong positive linear trend. Ocean pH exhibited a statistically significant downward trend (acidification), while sea surface temperature showed a moderate but statistically significant upward trend. Glacier mass balance revealed a significant negative trend. Although some plants may benefit from increased CO₂ initially, but the combined effects of rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and temperature changes pose substantial threats to the overall health and diversity of wetland plant life.