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Deciphering Chemical Language of Plant Communication pp 137–151Cite as

Ecological Role of Odour Diversity

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Part of the book series: Signaling and Communication in Plants ((SIGCOMM))

Abstract

Multitrophic interactions between plants and arthropods of different trophic levels take place in heterogeneous and complex environments, formed primarily by both host and non-host plants. High plant diversity and non-host plants and their interaction with host plants, other trophic levels and abiotic factors may form a diverse odour bouquet that arthropods have to cope with when foraging for food, hosts, prey, conspecifics or mating partners. This chapter focuses on the ecology of the generation of odour diversity and—vice versa—its effect on plants, herbivores and their natural enemies. Future research will need novel experimental approaches to identify the patterns and processes involved in these intricately unique interactions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Haderslebener Str. 9, 12163, Berlin, Germany

    Torsten Meiners

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  1. Torsten Meiners
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Correspondence to Torsten Meiners .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Bio. Sci, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

    James D. Blande

  2. Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sci., Uppsala, Sweden

    Robert Glinwood

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Meiners, T. (2016). Ecological Role of Odour Diversity. In: Blande, J., Glinwood, R. (eds) Deciphering Chemical Language of Plant Communication. Signaling and Communication in Plants. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33498-1_6

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