Effects of High Salinity and Water Stress on Wetland Grasses from the Spanish Mediterranean Coast

• Published in: Plants (Basel) 2024-07, Vol.13 (14), p.1939
• Main Authors: Sapiña-Solano, Adrián, Boscaiu, Monica, Collado, Francisco, Vicente, Oscar, Ruiz-González, Mario X
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Analysis; Antioxidants; Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic plants; Aquatic resources; Biodiversity; Biomarkers; biotic interactions; Climate change; Climatic changes; Coastal management; Coastal waters; Coasts; Drought; Ecological function; Ecosystem services; Ecosystems; Environmental conditions; Environmental impact; Environmental stress; Enzymatic activity; Grasses; Imperata cylindrica; Information management; Ion transport; Irrigation; Metabolites; Nonnative species; Oxidative stress; Parameter sensitivity; Photosynthetic pigments; Phragmites australis; Physiology; Plants (botany); Proline; Root zone; Saccharum ravennae; Salinity; Salinity effects; Salinity tolerance; Salt; salt stress; Sand dunes; Sea level; Sodium chloride; Soil erosion; Spain; Threatened species; United Kingdom; Water conservation; Water deficit; Water purification; Water shortages; Water stress; Wetlands; Wildlife; Wildlife conservation; Wildlife management; Wilting
• ISSN: 2223-7747; 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants13141939

The impacts of climate change are reaching unprecedented levels, heightening the risk of species loss and ecosystem service degradation. Wetlands, highly threatened ecosystems, serve vital ecological functions by capturing carbon, filtering water, and harbouring diverse wildlife. Coastal wetlands encounter many challenges, such as increased drought periods and escalating salinity levels, severely impacting plant biodiversity. Assessing how plants respond to various environmental stress factors is imperative for devising successful conservation strategies. In the present study, we examined three representative grass species found in various habitats within the Albufera Natural Park, close to the city of Valencia on the Spanish Mediterranean coast: , , and . High salinity and water stress conditions were induced by subjecting the plants to irrigation with solutions containing 200, 400, 600, and 800 mM NaCl or withholding irrigation altogether to mimic coastal flooding and drought scenarios. The treatments were maintained until noticeable wilting of the plants occurred, at which point a range of stress biomarkers were determined, including photosynthetic pigments, ions, osmolytes, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant metabolites, as well as antioxidant enzyme activities. displayed the highest sensitivity to salt stress, whereas appeared to be the most tolerant. The primary salinity tolerance mechanism observed in and was a blockage of ion transport from the root zone to the aerial part, together with the salt-induced accumulation of proline and soluble sugars to high concentrations in the former. No significant effects of the water deficit treatment on the growth or biochemical parameters were observed for any of the analysed species. These findings offer valuable information for the effective management and conservation of coastal wetlands facing the challenges posed by climate change.