Flooding-Driven Emissions from Trees

Abstract

Anoxia in the root system leads to the formation of ethanol in roots, the transport of ethanol to the leaves and strong foliar emissions of ethanol and acetaldehyde. In addition, emissions of typical stress-related volatiles are elicited. This chapter reviews the environmental, biochemical and physiological controls on flooding-driven products of anoxic metabolism and stress signalling compounds. It demonstrates that the various controls operate at different timescales and, furthermore, that these emissions are characterized by strong differences between species.