Phytochemical Diversity and Redundancy in Ecological Interactions

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-viii

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2. Phytochemical Diversity

   • May R. Berenbaum, Arthur R. Zangerl

   Pages 1-24

3. Diversity, Redundancy, and Multiplicity in Chemical Defense Systems of Aspen

   • Richard L. Lindroth, Shaw-Yhi Hwang

   Pages 25-56

4. Diversity and Dynamics of Crucifer Defenses against Adults and Larvae of Cabbage Butterflies

   • J. A. A. Renwick

   Pages 57-79

5. Defensive Chemicals in Grass-Fungal Endophyte Associations

   • Malcolm R. Siegel, Lowell P. Bush

   Pages 81-119

6. Multiple Defenses and Signals in Plant Defense against Pathogens and Herbivores

   • Ray Hammerschmidt, Jack C. Schultz

   Pages 121-154

7. Phytochemistry of the Meliaceae

   • Murray B. Isman, Hideyuki Matsuura, Shawna MacKinnon, Tony Durst, G. H. Neil Towers, John T. Arnason

   Pages 155-178

8. The Role of Mixtures and Variation in the Production of Terpenoids in Conifer-Insect-Pathogen Interactions

   • Rex G. Cates

   Pages 179-216

9. Relationships between the Defense Systems of Plants and Insects

   • Adolf Nahrstedt

   Pages 217-230

10. Polyphenol Oxidase as a Component of the Inducible Defense Response in Tomato against Herbivores

    • C. Peter Constabel, Daniel R. Bergey, Clarence A. Ryan

    Pages 231-252

11. The Role of Benzoic Acid Derivatives in Systemic Acquired Resistance

    • Scott Uknes, Shericca Morris, Bernard Vernooij, John Ryals

    Pages 253-263

12. Natural Products, Complexity, and Evolution

    • Bruce B. Jarvis, J. David Miller

    Pages 265-293

13. An Explanation of Secondary Product “Redundancy”

    • Richard D. Firn, Clive G. Jones

    Pages 295-312

14. Back Matter

    Pages 313-319

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Diversity within and among living organisms is both a biological impera­ tive and a biological conundrum. Phenotypic and genotypic diversity is the critical currency ofecological interactions and the evolution of life. Thus, it is not unexpected to find vast phytochemical diversity among plants. However, among the most compelling questions which arise among those interested in ecological phytochemistry is the extent, nature, and reasons for the diversity of chemieals in plants. The idea that natural products (secondary metabolites) are accidents of metabolism and have no biological function is an old one which has resurfaced recently under a new term "redundancy. " Redundancy in the broader sense can be viewed as duplication of effort. The co-occurrence of several classes of phytochemieals in a given plant may be redundancy. Is there unnecessary duplication of chemical defense systems and ifso, why? What selective forces have produced this result? On the other hand, why does the same compound often have multiple functions? At a symposium of the Phytochemical Society of North America held in August 1995, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, the topic "Phytochernical Redundancy in Ecological Interactions" was discussed. The chapters in this volume are based on that symposium. They both stimulate thought and provide some working hypotheses for future research. It is being increasingly recognized that functional diversity and multiplicity of function of natural products is the norm rather than the exception.

• Pathogen
• Phytochemie
• Tree
• bush
• metabolism
• natural product

• University of South Florida, Tampa, USA

  John T. Romeo

• USDA, Beltsville, USA

  James A. Saunders

• University of Maryland, College Park, USA

  Pedro Barbosa

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