Chemical ecology

The Chemical Ecology investigates the role of chemical signals in the interactions of organisms, such as insect pheromones , bio-insecticides or Phytonzide . This results, among other things, in the development of new methods of biological pest control .

Explanations

Chemical interrelationships are a basis of biocommunication between cells within an organism . Chemical communication also plays a role in the transfer of information between different individuals of a species ( intraspecific ) and between different species ( interspecific ) within a biocenosis . Chemical ecology examines the function and effect of such signals in the design of species-specific gender relationships, in interspecific interrelationships between different species and in the predator-prey relationship . The aim is to gain knowledge about the occurrence and function of chemical signals and their significance within an ecosystem .

Many organisms, especially insects , but also plants communicate with the help of chemical substances. Technical methods for pest control are developed based on the knowledge of the biocommunication of the species in question. A research facility with this research focus is the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena .

Example: If a plant is attacked by a pest, the plant releases fragrances that attract natural enemies of the pest. The enemies destroy the pests, on the other hand, many plants secrete poisons that are not tolerated by the pests. Neighboring plant tendrils or plants are warned of the pests via the same scents. These in turn activate their antibodies. The communication structures are extremely complex and research is just beginning to be understood.

Crops have often largely lost these abilities if they were not bred for these characteristics. The plan is to use genetic engineering to make use of the findings and to develop specific fragrance strategies for pest control.

Terms

• The substances used to exchange signals between organisms are called semiochemicals or ectohormones, and they include:
• Pheromones are used for communication within a species. They can be attractive or repulsive.
• Allomones (Gr. Állos = foreign) bring advantages to the sender in inter-species communication.
• Kairomones (Greek kairós = useful), on the other hand, offer advantages to the recipient.
• Synomons offer both, i. H. both sender and receiver advantages.

literature

• Konrad Dettner : Chemical Ecology. An interdisciplinary research area between biology and chemistry. In: Journal for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology . Volume 1, No. 4, 1989, pp. 29-36, doi: 10.1007 / BF02936880 , full text
• Jeffrey Harborne: Ecological Biochemistry: An Introduction. Spectrum Academic Publishing House, Heidelberg; Berlin; Oxford 1995, ISBN 3-86025-245-3
• Gerd-Joachim Krauss, Dietrich H. Nies (Eds.): Ecological Biochemistry - Environmental and Interspecies Interactions. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim 2015, ISBN 978-3-527-31650-2

Web links

Commons : Chemical ecology  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Philip Bethge: The Plant Whisperers . In: Der Spiegel . No. 26 , 2006 ( online ).
• Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology
• International Society of Chemical Ecology

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Entry on ecology. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on November 9, 2014.