Editorial: Physiological response to environmental stressors in invertebrates

The growing pressure of anthropogenic activities on ecosystems and the ongoing climate change, as well as natural phenomena, influence the set of organisms organized in communities and ecosystems. Among the stressors that affect organisms are (among others): global warming and the resultant increase of temperatures of water and terrestrial habitats, the spread of pollutants e.g., metals, pesticides, persistent organic pollutants, or drugs. All organisms, subjected to the influence of these agents, react in altered metabolism, malfunctions of physiological processes, or behavioral alterations. If not balanced, these changes may lead to significant changes in populations and whole ecosystems. Importantly, the human-derived negative stimuli are often sudden, which disturbs the homeostasis in organisms.