Chemical Ecology

Chemical Ecology contains a series of lectures presented in the fall of 1968 at State University of New York College of Forestry at Syracuse University. This book is composed of 11 chapters that deal with the salient facts and theories that are encompassed by chemical ecology and the possible application of fundamental research in this area to pressing problems of ecological importance. After briefly describing the distribution pattern of microorganisms in the soil, this book goes on exploring the coordination and regulation of sexual processes between cells and between individuals in lower and higher plants. These topics are followed by discussions on the aspects of the chemical environment; the diverse associations between insects and their host plants; the self-defense mechanisms of plants against insect predation; and the chemical communication systems within animal species. The subsequent chapters examine the chemical defense and ecology in arthropods and fish. The concluding chapters consider the biochemistry of terpenoid and steroid metabolism and the chemical aspects of juvenile and steroidal molting hormone interactions. This book will be of value to chemical ecologists and researchers and biochemists.

List of Contributors Preface 1. The Chemical Ecology of Cells in the Soil I. Introduction II. Unicellular Microorganisms III. Multicellular Microorganisms IV. Conclusion References 2. Chemical Ecology among Lower Plants I. Introduction II. Intraspecific Chemical Ecology-Sexuality III. Interspecific Chemical Ecology-Trapping Substances IV. Conclusion References 3. The Biochemical Ecology of Higher Plants I. Introduction II. Allelopathy-Two Cases III. Routes of Release from Plants IV. Effects on Plant Communities V. Secondary Plant Substances VI. Evolution of Wastes and Repellents VII. Conclusion VIII. Summary References 4. Plants and the Chemical Environment I. Introduction II. Plant-Plant Interactions III. The Aerial Environment IV. Plant-Animal Interactions: Galls References5. Chemical Interactions between Plants and Insects I. Introduction II. Selective Pressures III. Plants as Food IV. The Chemoreceptive Systems of Insects V. The Raison d'Etre of Feeding Diversity VI. Conclusion References 6. Hormonal Interactions between Plants and Insects I. Introduction II. Genes and Metamorphosis III. Endocrine Control of Metamorphosis: Ecdysone IV. Growth without Metamorphosis V. Juvenile Hormone and the Status Quo VI. Juvenile Hormone and Embryonic Development VII. Venereal Dissemination of Juvenile Hormone VIII. Conclusion References7. Chemical Communication within Animal Species I. Classification of Chemical Communication Systems II. The Chemical Channel III. The Increase in Information and Its Upper Boundary References 8. Chemical Defense against Predation in Arthropods I. Introduction II. Types of Chemical Defenses III. Chemistry and Effectiveness of Defensive Substances References 9. Chemical Ecology of Fish I. Introduction II. The Chemistry of the Swimbladder III. Sex Hormones IV. Ecology of Olfaction V. Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide VI. Temperature VII. Effect of Changing the Chemical Environment Synthetically VIII. Analysis of Ecosystems References10. The Chemistry of Nonhormonal Interactions Terpenoid Compounds in Ecology I. Introduction II. Chemical Ecology of Terpenoids and Steroids III. Conclusion References 11. Chemical Aspects of Hormonal Interactions I. Introduction II. Juvenile Hormones III. Steroidal Molting Hormones References Author Index Subject Index