The main purpose of this research area is to analyse adaptations aimed at avoiding or delaying the effects of environmental stress or enabling tolerance to stressful conditions, through photoprotective mechanisms and antioxidants, or in extreme instances, mechanisms that enable complete tolerance of desiccation, such as those seen in lichens, many mosses or so-called ‘resurrection plants’.
In particular, studying extreme environments, such as the Antarctic, Arctic, deserts or high mountains, has become an essential research area for the group.
A key component amongst all these physiological adaptation mechanisms for abiotic stress (in extreme and Mediterranean environments) is water use efficiency, which has been a central topic of this research group for many years.