Roads are a widespread and increasing feature of most landscapes. We reviewed the scientific liter- ature on the ecological effects of roads and found support for the general conclusion that they are associated with negative effects on biotic integrity in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Roads of all kinds have seven general effects: mortality from road construction, mortality from collision with vehicles, modification of animal behavior, alteration of the physical environment, alteration of the chemical environment, spread of exotics, and increased use of areas by humans. Road construction kills sessile and slow-moving organisms, injures organisms adjacent to a road, and alters physical conditions beneath a road. Vehicle collisions affect the demography of many species, both vertebrates and invertebrates; mitigation measures to reduce roadkill have been only partly successful. Roads alter animal behavior by causing changes in home ranges, move- ment, reproductive success, escape response, and physiological state. Roads change soil density, temperature, soil water content, light levels, dust, surface waters, patterns of runoff, and sedimentation, as well as adding heavy metals (especially lead), salts, organic molecules, ozone, and nutrients to roadside environments. Roads promote the dispersal of exotic species by altering habitats, stressing native species, and providing movement corridors. Roads also promote increased hunting, fishing, passive harassment of animals, and landscape modifications. Not all species and ecosystems are equally affected by roads, but overall the pres- ence of roads is highly correlated with changes in species composition, population sizes, and hydrologic and geomorphic processes that shape aquatic and riparian systems. More experimental research is needed to com- plement post-hoc correlative studies. Our review underscores the importance to conservation of avoiding con- struction of new roads in roadless or sparsely roaded areas and of removal or restoration of existing roads to benefit both terrestrial and aquatic biota.

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Review of ecological effects of roads on terrestrial and aquatic communities.

This survey of the literature on the ecological effects of roads and traffic revealed many articles published over many years in peer reviewed journals. There has also been a growing number of reports on the ecological effects of roads produced by government authorities. Whereas few reports have been published on assessing the ecological impacts, there has been a rapidly growing number of reports on methods for mitigation. Gaps in research include the effects of heavy metal accumulation and the processes and effects resulting from habitat fragmentation. There is a need to assess the effectiveness of underpasses and tunnels and the nature and functioning of buffer zones. A literature database has been assembled and is being updated.

Ecological effects of roads and traffic: a literature review

Plants are exposed to a variety of abiotic stresses in nature and exhibit unique and complex responses to these stresses depending on their degree of plasticity involving many morphological, cellular, anatomical, and physiological changes. Phytohormones are known to play vital roles in the ability of plants to acclimatize to varying environments, by mediating growth, development, source/sink transitions and nutrient allocation. These signal molecules are produced within the plant, and also referred as plant growth regulators. Although plant response to salinity depends on several factors; nevertheless, phytohormones are thought to be the most important endogenous substances that are critical in modulating physiological responses that eventually lead to adaptation to salinity. Response usually involves fluctuations in the levels of several phytohormones, which relates with changes in expression of genes involved in their biosynthesis and the responses they regulate. Present review described the potential role of different phytohormones and their balances against salinity stress and summarized the research progress regarding plant responses towards salinity at physiological and molecular levels. We emphasized the role of abscisic acid, indole acetic acid, cytokinins, gibberellic acid, salicylic acid, brassinosteroids, jasmonates, ethylene and triazoles in mediating plant responses and discussed their crosstalk at various baseline pathways transduced by these phytohormones under salinity. Current progress is exemplified by the identification and validation of several significant genes that enhanced crops tolerance to salinity, while missing links on different aspects of phytohormone related salinity tolerance are pointed out. Deciphering mechanisms by which plant perceives salinity and trigger the signal transduction cascades via phytohormones is vital to devise salinity related breeding and transgenic approaches.

Phytohormones and plant responses to salinity stress: a review

Plants are sessile beings, so the need of mechanisms to flee from unfavorable circumstances has provided the development of unique and sophisticated responses to environmental stresses. Depending on the degree of plasticity, many morphological, cellular, anatomical, and physiological changes occur in plants in response to abiotic stress. Phytohormones are small molecules that play critical roles in regulating plant growth and development, as well as stress tolerance to promote survival and acclimatize to varying environments. To congregate the challenges of salinity, temperature extremes, and osmotic stress, plants use their genetic mechanism and different adaptive and biological approaches for survival and high production. In the present attempt, we review the potential role of different phytohormones and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in abiotic stresses and summarize the research progress in plant responses to abiotic stresses at physiological and molecular levels. We emphasized the regulatory circuits of abscisic acid, indole acetic acid, cytokinins, gibberellic acid, salicylic acid, brassinosteroids, jasmonates, ethylene, and triazole on exposure to abiotic stresses. Current progress is exemplified by the identification and validation of several significant genes that enhanced crop tolerance to stress in the field. These findings will make the modification of hormone biosynthetic pathways for the transgenic plant generation with augmented abiotic stress tolerance and boosting crop productivity in the coming decades possible.

Potential role of phytohormones and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in abiotic stresses: consequences for changing environment.

Soil salinity and drought are major abiotic factors that limit crop growth and productivity worldwide. Indeed, soil salinity and drought disrupt the cellular ionic and osmotic balance. Although silicon (Si) is generally considered nonessential for plant growth and developments, Si uptake by plants can alleviate both biotic and abiotic stresses. Silicon application could therefore improve crop production under adverse climate and soil conditions. Several reports have reviewed the benefits of silicon application on crop growth, but the mechanisms of silicon action have not been systematically discussed. Here, we review recent advances on silicon uptake, transport, and accumulation in plants and how silicon alleviates salinity toxicity and drought stress. The major points are the following: (1) both passive and active silicon uptake may coexist in plants; (2) although silicon transporters have been identified in some plants, more silicon transporters remain to be identified, and the process of silicon transport needs further clarification; (3) the mechanisms for silicon-mediated tolerance of salinity and drought have been extensively investigated at both physiological and biochemical levels. The physiological aspects include increasing water uptake by roots, maintaining nutrient balance, decreasing water loss from leaves, and promoting photosynthetic rate. At the biochemical level, silicon may improve antioxidant defense abilities by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the contents of non enzymatic antioxidants; silicon may also contribute to osmotic adjustment and increase photosynthetic enzymatic activities; and (4) silicon can regulate the levels of endogenous plant hormones under stress conditions, whereas silicon involvement in signaling and regulation of gene expression related to increasing stress tolerance remains to be explored.

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Beneficial effects of silicon on salt and drought tolerance in plants

Application of NaCl (electrical conductivity 4.0 mS cm−1) resulted in about 52, 50 and 55 % reduction in total nitrogen contents in mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] leaf, root and nodule, respectively. In nodule, nitrogenase activity was reduced by about 84 % under stress as compared with the control set. Glutamine synthetase activity was reduced by about 31, 16 and 23 %, glutamate oxoglutarate aminotransferase activity was reduced by 78, 57 and 42 % and glutamate dehydrogenase activity was reduced by 9, 8 and 42 % in leaf, root and nodule, respectively, under salt stress. The pretreatment with indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and kinetin, each ranging from 0.1 to 10 µM, in restoring the metabolic alterations imposed by NaCl salinity was investigated in mung bean. The three phytohormones used were able to overcome to variable extents the adverse effects of stress imposed by NaCl solution.

Effect of phytohormone pretreatment on nitrogen metabolism in Vigna radiata under salt stress

Efficiency of pretreatment as foliar spray of indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and kinetin, each ranging from 0.1 to 10.0 μM concentration, in restoring the metabolic alterations imposed by NaCl salinity was investigated in Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek. Glycolate oxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase activities increased under stress in leaves and roots also. Malondialdehyde content and total peroxide content also increased under stress. All the three hormones used were able to overcome to variable extents the adverse effects of stress imposed by NaCl to these parameters.

Alleviation of NaCl stress by pretreatment with phytohormones in Vigna radiata

Acceleration of peroxidase and catalase activities in leaves of wild dicotyledonous plants, as an indication of automobile exhaust pollution

Exhaust gases from automobiles contribute significantly to atmospheric pollution. This paper provides information on the effect of automobile emission on a few wild dicotyledonous plants growing along roads with much traffic. There is a close connection between the distance of the plants from the road and diminution in soluble protein and chlorophyll a contents, and these two physiological traits may serve as indicators of pollution level.

S. Mukherji

Papers

Effect of phytohormone pretreatment on nitrogen metabolism in Vigna radiata under salt stress

Alleviation of NaCl stress by pretreatment with phytohormones in Vigna radiata

Acceleration of peroxidase and catalase activities in leaves of wild dicotyledonous plants, as an indication of automobile exhaust pollution

Reduction in soluble protein and chlorophyll contents in a few plants as indicators of automobile exhaust pollution

Toxic action of zinc on growth and enzyme activities of rice oryza sativa L. Seedlings