ABSTRACT
Tropical region is the most productive biome on the earth, providing thriving conditions for peculiar plants and organisms. Global warming, one of the major crises the world is experiencing presently, has impacted the weather and climate drastically. Unpredictable climatic patterns are affecting living beings adversely. Increased surface temperature of the earth has resulted into declining biodiversity. In this chapter, we explore the ecophysiological response of tropical plants towards the changing climate with respect to the increased temperature, elevated concentration of CO2, and their combined adverse effects. There is evidence in the research that elevated levels of CO2 compel the tolerating plants to adapt to the changing climate by growing thicker leaves, whereas the sensitive plants are going extinct due to increased oxidative stress and excessive water loss due to unbearable heat. The importance of tropical plants for biodiversity and the survival of living beings on this earth has been discussed in detail. The reasons for changing climate in the present times has been analyzed in brief. How the changing climate is affecting the biotic factors of the ecosystem has explored and delved into the overall effect on tropical plants precisely with increased temperature and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Overall, a thorough evaluation has been done based on the responses of tropical plants to the present climate change scenario.
