Plants and their Interaction to Environmental Pollution: Damage Detection, Adaptation, Tolerance, Physiological and Molecular Responses

Environmental pollution is a major global concern caused by human activities such as urbanization, mining, industrial revolution, burning of fossil fuels, and poor agricultural practices. It has significant impacts on plants, including acute and chronic injury, changes in phenological events, structural patterns, physiological phenomena, biochemical status, and cellular and molecular features. Anthropogenic activities, such as fossil-fuel combustion, are responsible for increasing atmospheric greenhouse gases concentrations, which accelerate global heating. Plants interact with pollutants and cause adverse ecological and economic outcomes. Research is needed to better understand the plant response to pollutants, including damage detection, adaptation, tolerance, and physiological and molecular responses. Additionally, the identification of tolerance mechanisms in plants against pollutants can help develop eco-friendly technologies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 468 pages
Publication date: 08 November 2022
Publisher: Elsevier - Health Sciences Division

Environmental pollution, stemming from a wide range of human activities, has emerged as a pressing global concern. The rapid urbanization, mining, industrial revolution, excessive burning of fossil fuels and firewood, and inadequate agricultural practices, alongside improper waste disposal, have significantly contributed to the undesirable alteration in the composition of our environment. This pollution manifests in various forms, including air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution, light pollution, and plastic pollution. It is alarming to note that the escalating environmental pollution has the potential to accumulate impurities in plants, which are essential for human needs such as food, clothing, and medicine.

The impacts of environmental pollution on plants are profound and far-reaching. They affect phenological events, structural patterns, physiological phenomena, biochemical status, and cellular and molecular features. Exposure to environmental pollution can lead to acute or chronic injuries, depending on the concentration, duration, season, and plant species. Moreover, the rise of greenhouse gases, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, and ozone, in the atmosphere poses a significant threat to biodiversity. These gases have observable effects on plant life cycles and distribution, contributing to global heating.

Anthropogenic activities, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels, are the primary drivers of the steady increase in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. This phenomenon accelerates global warming, leading to various ecological and environmental disruptions. Studies have revealed that changes in carbon dioxide concentrations, rainfall, and temperature have profound impacts on plant physiological and metabolic activities, including the formation of biologically active ingredients.

Addressing environmental pollution requires a collective effort from individuals, governments, and industries. Implementing sustainable practices, promoting renewable energy sources, and adopting responsible waste management are crucial steps toward mitigating the detrimental effects of pollution on our environment and preserving biodiversity for future generations.

Weight: 984g
Dimension: 190 x 236 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780323999786