How Wetland Plants Deal With Stress

Abstract

We all get stressed. To deal with that stress, some of us may exercise, take a bubble bath, cry, or simply leave the stressful situation. But how can you cope with stress if you are rooted in place? Plants that live in estuaries are exposed to many types of stresses from the environment, including flooding, high salt levels, low soil oxygen, and waves. Fortunately, wetland plants have developed ways to survive within these conditions, from excreting salt, to growing faster, to even breaking down cell walls to maximize air flow. Plants can tolerate different levels of stress depending on their age and species. Knowing how plants react to stress is important for our understanding of nature and for managing important environments, like wetlands! This article explores how plant species in the San Francisco Estuary react to stress and how we can use knowledge about plant stress responses to protect wetlands.