A Role for Metabolomics in Plant Ecology

Abstract

Plant metabolomic analyses have been mostly applied to analyse metabolomes of crops and model species. However, metabolomic analyses may also be extremely valuable for plant ecologists. Because of the untargeted nature of most metabolomic platforms, the analyses will provide a comprehensive overview of both the primary and secondary plant metabolome. This is especially valuable for chemical ecologists studying plant-herbivore interactions, as both primary and secondary metabolites together determine the performance and preference of herbivores feeding on a plant. A few examples from the recent scientific literature exemplify how metabolomics may yield novel knowledge on the effects of hybridization on plant chemistry, insect resistance and genotype × environment interactions that could not have been so easily obtained with targeted studies alone. Theories and hypotheses regarding optimal defence strategies in plants and invasive plant biology may also benefit from metabolomic analysis. Testable hypotheses built on our current knowledge of plant responses to herbivores and competition may be substantiated and expanded based on metabolomic analyses. Despite some of the limitations that metabolomics analyses may have, the implementation of broad-spectrum chemical analysis in plant ecology will definitively open up new horizons for plant ecologists and enhance our understanding of the importance of plant chemistry in plant-environment interactions for fundamental and applied research.

Differences in photosynthesis and terpene content in leaves and roots of wild-type and transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants

“…Reallocation of primary compounds within the plant was shown to reflect a strategy to survive the damaging effects of herbivores [29]. Previous authors have shown that stressed plants could be characterized by high terpene biosynthesis in roots [10].…”

Plant Metabolomics in a Nutshell: Potential and Future Challenges

“…Genotype x environment interaction is a topic of basic importance regarding how plants survive and function under what is normally an ever-changing environment (Ahuja et al, 2010;Browne et al, 2011;van Dam & van der Meijden, 2011). Furthermore, its importance in a crop production context enhances the value of this fundamental research (Browne et al, 2011;Draper et al, 2011).…”

Current Challenges in Plant Eco-Metabolomics

“…Metabolites are key components in both biochemical and ecological processes. To survive and successfully reproduce in their natural habitats, organisms need to adjust their morphological and physiological characteristics in response to varying environmental conditions, as well as to interactions with other organisms [ 8 ]. These ecophysiological adjustments can be identified and quantified using metabolomics techniques [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

“…The great advantage of metabolomics is that it can be applied to any species without prior knowledge of its biochemical or genetic composition. This universality and the coverage of a wide range of bioactive compounds initiated a new research field called “Eco-Metabolomics”—the application of metabolomics to ecology and, thus, understanding the biochemical mechanisms governing species interactions with the environment and with other organisms [ 8 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 14 ].…”