Wandering between hot and cold: temperature dose-dependent responses

Abstract

Plants in most natural habitats are exposed to a continuously changing environment, including fluctuating temperatures. Temperature variations can trigger acclimation or tolerance responses, depending on the severity of the signal. To guarantee food security under a changing climate, we need to fully understand how temperature response and tolerance are triggered and regulated. Here, we put forward the concept that responsiveness to temperature should be viewed in the context of dose-dependency. We discuss physiological, developmental, and molecular examples, predominantly from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, illustrating monophasic signaling responses across the physiological temperature gradient.