The Growth of Plants in Arid Environments
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 117
Special Issue Editors
Interests: arid environment; wood anatomy; growth ring; climate change
Interests: climate change; dendroecology; plant physiology; adaptation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue of Plants, entitled "The Growth of Plants in Arid Environments," seeks to compile cutting-edge research on the growth patterns and survival strategies of flora in the world's most water-limited ecosystems. With arid and semi-arid regions expanding due to climate change, understanding the mechanisms that allow plants to survive and thrive under such extreme conditions is critical for ecological conservation and sustainable development.
This Special Issue is intentionally interdisciplinary in scope, welcoming contributions that explore the complex interplay among plant morphology, physiology, and ecology. We invite original research and comprehensive review articles investigating plant adaptations in arid environments. A key focus will be placed on morphological, physiological, and molecular mechanisms underpinning stress tolerance—such as water conservation strategies and the development of robust root architectures to enhance water and nutrient uptake. This issue will also highlight studies on anatomical traits that confer resilience, including leaf morphological plasticity and the formation and composition of xylem structures resistant to embolism, thereby ensuring efficient and safe water transport. We welcome submissions across all areas related to plant growth in arid environments, including wood anatomy, growth ring formation, growth responses to climate and environmental change, and adaptation strategies to environmental stressors.
By synthesizing knowledge from molecular to ecosystem levels, this Special Issue aims to provide a foundational resource for scientists and policymakers, fostering the development of innovative strategies for ecosystem restoration and reconstruction, and the sustainable management of fragile dryland ecosystems under future climate scenarios.
Dr. Maierdang Keyimu
Dr. Zongshan 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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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
- arid environment
- plant growth
- adaptation strategy
- pheynotypic plasticity
- physiological adjustment
- wood anatomy
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