Impact of Climate Change on Flowering Phenology and Pollution Syndrome in Native Plant

Abstract

It is becoming more widely acknowledged that environmental pollution and climate change are interrelated global stressors that endanger plant health, biodiversity, ecosystem stability, and agricultural output. When plants are subjected to several environmental stressors, their combined effects result in a complicated phenomena called pollution syndrome, which is defined by a variety of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and reproductive changes. This review summarizes recent discoveries about how air pollutants like tropospheric ozone (O₃), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), particulate matter (PM₂.¹ and PM₁¹), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals interact with climate change factors, such as rising temperatures, elevated atmospheric CO₂, altered precipitation patterns, prolonged droughts, and extreme weather events, to affect plant performance and ecosystem function. The review focuses on the fundamental processes of pollution syndrome, such as oxidative stress, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), degradation of chlorophyll, reduced photosynthesis, hormonal imbalance, damage to membranes, and disruption of antioxidant defense systems. Additionally, it looks at how these stressors affect crop yield, plant-pollinator interactions, blooming phenology, and biodiversity in various environments. The Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI), biomonitoring, remote sensing, omics technology, and artificial intelligence are all considered as useful techniques for evaluating plant responses and forecasting future environmental concerns. In order to support integrated approaches for pollution control, climate adaption, and ecosystem protection, future goals and research gaps are also identified.