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Related Experiment Videos

Plants on red alert: do insects pay attention?

H Martin Schaefer1, Gregor Rolshausen

  • 1Institute for Biology I, Albert Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany. martin.schaefer@biologie.uni-freiburg.de

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
|December 22, 2005
PubMed
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Plant coloration evolved due to environmental stressors, not solely herbivore pressure. Pigments like anthocyanins and carotenoids offer defense, indirectly deterring insects through shared biosynthesis pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Plant biology
  • Evolutionary ecology
  • Chemical ecology

Background:

  • Non-green plant coloration is hypothesized to evolve as a defense against herbivores.
  • Existing hypotheses include the handicap hypothesis and anti-crypsis hypothesis, both positing insects as the evolutionary drivers.
  • These hypotheses assume insects initiated the evolutionary pressure for plant coloration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose the "Defence Indication hypothesis" for the evolution of plant coloration.
  • To highlight the multiple protective functions of plant pigments (anthocyanins and carotenoids).
  • To suggest plant coloration evolved primarily in response to various environmental stressors.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual framework development.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Review of existing hypotheses on plant coloration and defense.
  • Analysis of pigment biosynthesis pathways and their link to defensive compounds.

    • Main Results:

    • Plant coloration may have evolved due to multiple stressors, not just herbivory.
    • Pigments like anthocyanins and carotenoids have inherent protective functions.
    • Shared biosynthesis pathways mean pigment production enhances plant defenses (priming).

    Conclusions:

    • The Defence Indication hypothesis offers an alternative explanation for plant coloration evolution.
    • Pleiotropic effects of pigments and shared defense responses explain insect reactions to plant color.
    • Plant color serves as an indicator of stress responses and defense capabilities.