PLANTS AND HORMONES - AN ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL VIEW ON TIMING AND PLASTICITY

1 This paper demonstrates the role played by plant hormones in linking environmental signals with plant responses. It concentrates on two st rategies for a sessile organism as a plant to cope with changing envir onmental conditions: life cycle timing and phenotypic adjustment. 2 Th e significance of abscisic acid and gibberellins for dormancy and germ ination, respectively, is discussed in relation to life cycle timing. Cytokinins are presented in relation to a possible role in carbon allo cation. The gaseous plant hormone ethylene is discussed in relation to its involvement in wind- and water-induced changes in shoot growth. 3 Evidence for the role played by plant hormones in developmental proce sses and plastic responses comes from only a very few plant species. I t will be a task for ecologists to come to a more generalized understa nding of the involvement of plant hormones in ecological processes by applying the existing knowledge to a much wider range of species.