Water loss continues during flooded conditions while uptake declines greatly in the roots. Flooding initiates many growth regulator problems. Growth regulators are how one part of a tree communicates with other parts. The messages are carried by different types of chemicals. Auxin, ethylene and abscisic acid concentrations increase in flooded trees while gibberellic acids and cytokinins decrease.
Flooding changes the ecology of the soil, causing anaerobic organisms to replace aerobic organisms.
Leaf drop can take from two weeks in upland species to eight weeks in wetland species after flooding. Wetland species can be damaged just as badly as upland species by warm, growing season floods. Within seven days there is noticeable root growth loss. Over time, decline, death and decay are the results of flooding. Generally under flooded conditions, the woody roots survive and non-woody roots die.