Climate change and the future of our world – implications for plant phenology, physiology, plant communities, and crop management

Climate change is one of the most important challenges of our time. According to the 2014 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, significant climate changes are occurring in different parts of the world [1]. Global average surface temperature increased by 0.74 ±0.18°C during the last century and it is projected to increase by another 1.1 ±6.0°C in this century [2]. The latest IPCC report [1] indicates that changes in climate patterns have global impacts, i.e., they affect multiple organisms and disturb terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems on all continents. The long-term and short-term changes in weather patterns threaten water resources, agriculture, forestry, social relationships, and human health. Various industrial sectors might experience a significant reduction in their incomes because of weather extremes. In agriculture, climate change will fundamentally alter crop yields and livestock production. It negatively affects multiple components of the food system, i.e., food availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. In the coming decades, food security can only be accomplished by implementation, adaptation, and mitigation strategies in order to maintain productivity and economic profitability [3]. First we need to define what climate is. One definition refers to the distribution of weather conditions (i.e., mean temperature, mean precipitation, mean humidity, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed) in a particular region during a certain time or season [4]. Another definition addresses the climate system and includes the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. In fact, the definition of a climate is not precise and the elements of climate are linked to each other and are widely affected by smaller and/or larger scale conditions (e.g., physiography, geophysical and biogeochemical systems, and human activity). Local and regional climate conditions can influence the climate at the continental, and ultimately, global scale. Our understanding of climate, therefore, should include the consciousness of its natural variability driven by local, regional, and global drivers. The current issue of Acta Agrobotanica is dedicated to the currently observed and projected effects of climate variability on plants and native and managed ecosystems. The implications and interactions are reported by authors representing a range of expertise, including biologists, plant breeders, and ecologist. The issue contains 10 original research papers and two reviews, addressing the following topics: (i) phenological observations, the strongest biological signal of climate change, (ii) physiological responses of plants to drought stress and increase of temperature, (iii) climate impacts on grasslands ecosystems and expected consequences, (iv) the need to establish confident quality control of irrigation water, (v) revision of current management practices for crops fertilization and/or irrigation to improve crop production and quality, (vi) perspectives for introduction of alternative crops that may better cope with progressing climate change. The articles in this issue report research conducted in Bulgaria, Poland, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and the USA. DOI: 10.5586/aa.1683