Biogenic volatile organic compound emissions in response to climate change-induced environmental stresses

In the Anthropocene era, where environmental stresses are amplified and extremes occur more frequently, understanding the responses of biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions has become a critical area of research. This chapter explores the complex relationship between BVOC emissions and environmental stressors, with a particular focus on how emissions will be affected by climate change. As global temperatures rise, BVOC emissions are projected to increase exponentially, up to a threshold that is intricately linked to specific plant functional types and other environmental stresses. Drought, while initially increasing emissions, can lead to a collapse in the plant's metabolic processes under conditions of prolonged water deficit. The co-occurrence of heat and drought is set to intensify BVOC emissions, leading to changes in both emission responses and composition. The impacts of ozone (O3), both increasing due to climate change, on the production and release of BVOC are also explored, revealing that they affect plant emissions in diverse ways, leading to species-specific responses and a diverse blend of BVOC emissions. The chapter then investigates the exceptional adaptive capacity of certain plants to extremely stressful environmental conditions, with 'resurrection plants' and other extremophiles providing a fascinating case study for stress responses. The impact of soil pollutants, particularly metals, on BVOC emissions and responses to environmental changes is also examined. The chapter concludes with a brief exploration of aquatic ecosystems, where algae, phytoplankton, and cyanobacteria contribute to BVOC emissions. The common thread running through all these diverse topics is the urgent need for a mechanistic understanding of BVOC emission responses to environmental stresses. As climate change intensifies, such understanding will be crucial in developing strategies to mitigate its impacts and protect our ecosystems.