Ecophysiological adaptive strategies of plants in conditions of multiple stress

In anthropogenically degraded habitats, plants are often limited by multiple stress factors that act simultaneously, threatening the functioning of plants and exhausting their adaptive potential. Our research is based on studying plants’ physiological, biochemical and morphological responses to the effects of multiple stressors. These determine their adaptive capacity to survive and/or develop tolerance to stress in such habitats. Research will be undertaken at two types of such habitats: ash deposits at the ‘Nikola Tesla-A’ thermal power plant in Obrenovac (initially biologically empty areas with high pollutant levels) and urban zones in Belgrade (highly polluted degraded areas). In aiming to establish plants’ ecophysiological adaptive strategies for surviving in multiple stress conditions in degraded habitats, research will focus on defining the ecological factors that limit plant survival and functioning in degraded habitats, establishing the synergetic, antagonistic or additive effects of multiple stressors, identifying structural and functional plant damage, and defining plants’ adaptive response to the effects of multiple stress and their adaptive potential to survive in such conditions. Identification of the adaptive strategies of plants that colonise, survive and function at thermal power plant ash deposits and in urban zones subject to chronic pollution can be a guide for creating activities aimed at the ecological restoration of disturbed ecosystems.