Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) at the crossroads: a special issue to honour 50 years of CAM research by Klaus Winter.

This article provides an overview of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) in plants, a photosynthetic pathway that allows plants to adapt to dry environments. CAM plants store carbon as malate, enabling them to survive in low-water conditions. The article emphasizes the diversity and significance of CAM plants in different ecosystems, as well as their potential for agricultural use in non-arable lands. However, it also raises concerns about the threats faced by CAM plants due to human activities and climate change. The article concludes with a special issue dedicated to honoring the contributions of Dr. Klaus Winter, a prominent researcher in CAM biology. The text also discusses various aspects of CAM photosynthesis, including its impact on fire frequency and plant survival, its evolution and relationship with succulence, and its potential for domestication and agricultural use. The authors stress the need for further research in areas such as CAM lineage identification, CAM evolution models, and the engineering of CAM into other plant species. They also highlight the importance of conserving CAM flora and involving a diverse range of researchers in CAM research. [Extracted from the article]