Rooted to the spot, trees face deathly attacks from pests, people, and even other plants without the possibility of escape. Instead, they fend off assailants with physical and chemical defenses. With insect attacks in particular, trees emit chemical compounds that, in addition to rebuffing the nibbling beast, can alert nearby predators to the presence of a tasty snack.
These herbivory-induced aromas can also warn nearby trees of impending danger, granting them the chance to steel themselves against an assault. However, this phenomenon is understudied in pines and other conifers, a group that includes many commercially and ecologically important species. Now, a group of Finnish researchers are endeavoring to rectify that, and they have produced robust evidence of conifers “priming” each other against beetle attacks using chemical signals. The findings, reported earlier this month (September 7) in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, could have significant implications for ecosystem and agricultural ...
