Insects Use Plants Like A Telephone
above ground green leafy-eating insect prefer to use plants that have not yet been occupied by subterranean root-eating insects. Subterranean insects emit chemical signals via the leaves of the plant, which warn the above ground insects about their presence. This messaging enables spatially-separated insects to avoid each other, so that they do not unintentionally compete for the same plant. Dutch ecologist Roxina Soler and her colleagues discovered that different types of above ground insects develop slowly if they feed on plants that also have subterranean residents and vice verse. another fact is that subterranean insects can also communicate with a third party, this can also be a benefit from the volatile signals emitted by the leaves, as these reveal where they can find a good host for their eggs. also the communication between subterranean and aboveground insects has only been studied in a few systems. It is still not clear how widespread this phenomenon is.
posted by: Rafael Leon
posted by PWH @ 11:00 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I've seen a video in one of my previous classes of a caterpillar who would scrape or tap leaves to warn another insect it was there. I've also heard of ants defending plants. I believe they also use a sort of chemical communication when predators invade their plant. Did you come across the exact chemicals or communication in this ant/plant relationship? Interesting post.
Posted by:
Christine McConville
I also have learned about ways where plant pheremones warn other plants on the same root system of an attack on the plant by herbivores. I'm curious if the insects are emmiting a similar pheremone or if the plants can respond to the insects attack also?
Daniel O'Leary
This is really interesting. I just have problem understanding what you mean by "spacially-seperated insects". Also, i was wondering if you knew why would "spacially-seperated insects" want to avoid each other?
Posted by Vanessa Raphael
This is a pretty amazing system of inter-species communication. I was also wondering why insects would want to avoid each other. And also, how/why do subterranean insects affect the development of the above ground insects?
Posted by:
Nicole Eckart
This phenomenon seems to display mutualism between the insects, where they communicate to benefit each other. Is there any additional research being done to investigate this? Can plants communicate with other plants via the chemical signals emitting from their leaves to warn of insects that would eat them? I once heard that plants such as common backyard grass have the ability to communicate with each other when something such as a lawn mower is disturbing the habitat, but I didn't know if it was true. This sheds some light on the topic.
-Nate Pitcher
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