Root Adaptation to Environmental Changes
A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 18 July 2025 | Viewed by 127
Special Issue Editors
Interests: diversity and forest ecosystem; plant–soil-microbial interaction; carbon and nutrient cycling; plant root traits and processes
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Root systems are fundamental for the survival, growth, and adaptation of plants in forest ecosystems. As climate change, land-use changes, and soil degradation intensify, understanding the mechanisms behind root adaptation becomes increasingly important for forest resilience and sustainability. While much of the existing research has traditionally focused on aboveground plant responses, the vital role of roots in mediating plant responses to environmental stressors is gaining more recognition. In forest ecosystems, roots are central to water and nutrient uptake, temperature regulation, and interactions with soil biota, all of which directly influence forest structure and function.
This Special Issue, Root Adaptation to Environmental Changes, aims to explore the latest research on how plant roots in forest ecosystems adapt to both abiotic and biotic stressors. We invite papers that investigate the physiological, morphological, and genetic responses of root to stress factors such as drought, nutrient limitations, soil disturbances, and interactions with mycorrhizal fungi, as well as the role of roots in maintaining ecosystem functions under changing environmental conditions. Topics may include, but are not limited to, root plasticity in response to climate stress, root-soil interactions in diverse forest types, mycorrhizal symbioses, and the impact of root traits on plant survival and forest regeneration in extreme environments.
We welcome original research articles, reviews, and theoretical studies that offer cutting-edge insights into root adaptations, advancing our understanding of how plant root systems support ecological resilience and forest functioning in a rapidly changing world.
Dr. Lei Jiang
Dr. Quan Li
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- root plasticity
- root adaptation
- root morphology
- climate change
- environmental stress
- abiotic stress
- root–soil interactions
- mycorrhizal symbiosis
- nutrient uptake
- ecosystem resilience
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