Stress combination in biology, ecology, and medicine: embracing complexity to resolve our central challenges #plantscience
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Biological systems are continuously subjected to a high level of environmental factor/stressor complexity, and this complexity has been gradually increasing in recent years due to climate change and rising pollution levels. The simultaneous or sequential occurrence of different stressors impacting a biological system creates unique interactions between various pathways and processes. These interactions could lead to opposing outcomes, presenting a significant challenge for the health of cells, organisms, and even ecosystems. Recent studies have identified different regulators, physiological processes, and signal transduction events that control the response of plants to conditions involving stressor combinations. In this opinion article, we describe these studies, discuss the different facets of stressor combinations, and highlight the importance of studying this process in biology, ecology, and medicine.
