Defensive fruit metabolites obstruct seed dispersal by altering bat behavior and physiology at multiple temporal scales

Baldwin, Justin W.; Dechmann, Dina K. N.; Thies, Wibke; Whitehead, Susan R.

doi:10.1002/ecy.2937

Cited by 26 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…Importantly, 2-nonanone and 2-heptanol are part of a highly diverse scent bouquet, particularly in P. sancti-felicis, and VOC number and diversity are associated with Carollia diets. Fruit secondary metabolites may control multiple aspects of seed dispersal, such as frugivore seed removal timing and dispersal distances [66], and VOC number and diversity may also respond to abiotic and biotic factors that affect chemicals in other plant parts (e.g. leaves [48]).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fruit odorants mediate co-specialization in a multispecies plant–animal mutualism

et al. 2021

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Despite the widespread notion that animal-mediated seed dispersal led to the evolution of fruit traits that attract mutualistic frugivores, the dispersal syndrome hypothesis remains controversial, particularly for complex traits such as fruit scent. Here, we test this hypothesis in a community of mutualistic, ecologically important neotropical bats ( Carollia spp.) and plants ( Piper spp.) that communicate primarily via chemical signals. We found greater bat consumption is significantly associated with scent chemical diversity and presence of specific compounds, which fit multi-peak selective regime models in Piper . Through behavioural assays, we found Carollia prefer certain compounds, particularly 2-heptanol, which evolved as a unique feature of two Piper species highly consumed by these bats. Thus, we demonstrate that volatile compounds emitted by neotropical Piper fruits evolved in tandem with seed dispersal by scent-oriented Carollia bats. Specifically, fruit scent chemistry in some Piper species fits adaptive evolutionary scenarios consistent with a dispersal syndrome hypothesis. While other abiotic and biotic processes likely shaped the chemical composition of ripe fruit scent in Piper , our results provide some of the first evidence of the effect of bat frugivory on plant chemical diversity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fruit odorants mediate co-specialization in a multispecies plant–animal mutualism

et al. 2021

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“…For example, Calf et al (2018) found that there were differences between the composition and total amounts of glycoalkaloids produced by the bittersweet nightshade Solanum dulcamara sampled from different locations, and that slugs Deroceras reticulatum consistently showed preference for leaves from populations which produced fewer glycoalkaloids, which corresponded to populations where few slugs were present, hinting at local adaptation of plant populations. Moreover, plants produce various SMs that serve as visual, olfactory and/or gustatory signals to lure pollinators (Borghi et al, 2021) and attract seed dispersers (Cipollini & Levey, 1997;Nevo et al, 2018;Baldwin et al, 2020). Furthermore, toxicity from SMs may influence frugivore behaviour and gut retention time of seeds, and in that way influence the spread of seeds (Cipollini & Levey, 1997;Baldwin et al, 2020).…”

Section: Mutationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of chemodiversity - From verbal to quantitative models

Thon¹,

Wittmann²,

Müller³

2023

Preprint

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Plants harbour an astonishing amount of chemodiversity, i.e., diversity of specialized metabolites, at different scales. For instance, individual plants can produce a large number of different specialized metabolites and individuals in a population can differ in their metabolite composition. Given the ecological and economic importance of plant chemodiversity, it is important to understand how it arises and is maintained over evolutionary time. For other types of biodiversity, i.e., species diversity and genetic diversity, quantitative models, that is, mathematical models and computer simulations, have long played an important role in addressing such questions. Here we review models and hypotheses for the evolution of plant chemodiversity and, in particular, explore what quantitative models have been proposed so far and what gaps there are in quantitative modeling of chemodiversity. For each model or hypothesis we review its ingredients, i.e., the biological processes that are assumed to shape chemodiversity, the scales at which the model explains or claims to explain chemodiversity, and the extent to which the model has been formalized as a mathematical or simulation model. From this review, a mixed picture emerges. We identified a small number of quantitative models for the evolutionary dynamics of plant chemodiversity. In addition we found a number of models that use equations to derive an optimal defense, but are not dynamic. Many influential models, however, have remained verbal so far. Furthermore, we identify some quantitative models used for genetic variation that have not been used for chemodiversity so far, but could be easily extended to do so. We end by outlining our vision for future model building for the evolution of plant chemodiversity.

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“…Bats (order: Chiroptera) fill many ecological trophic levels and provide essential services to ecosystems in the form of pollination, seed dispersal, and insect control (1). Their presence can act as indicators of ecosystem health (2)(3)(4). With ongoing anthropogenic changes such as harvesting for bushmeat, increased agricultural expansion and deforestation the conservation of these species is increasingly compromised.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bat E-Commerce: Insights Into the Extent and Potential Implications of This Dark Trade

et al. 2021

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Little is known about the global bat souvenir trade despite previous research efforts into bat harvest for bushmeat. We screened eBay listings of bats in Australia, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom and USA to assess the nature and extent of the online offers. A total of 237 listings were retrieved in between the 11th and 25th of May 2020 with a median price per item of US$38.50 (range: US$8.50–2,500.00). Items on offer were mostly taxidermy (61.2%) or skull (21.1%) specimens. Overall, 32 different species of bat were advertised, most of which (n = 28) are listed as “Least Concern” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. One species (Nycteris javanica) is classified as “Vulnerable” and one (Eidolon helvum) as “Near Threatened.” Pteropus spp. specimens were the most expensive specimens on offer and the conservations status of these species may range from “Critically Endangered” to “Data Deficient” by IUCN and the entire genus is listed in the Appendix II by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). However, the exact species concerned, and their respective conservation status, could not be confirmed based on the listings' photos. The sourcing of bat was restricted to mostly South-East Asian countries (a third of items sourced from Indonesia) and to two African countries. Our survey revealed that the online offer of bat products is diverse, abundant, and facilitated by worldwide sellers although most offered bats species are from South-East Asia. With a few exceptions, the species on offer were of little present conservation concern, however, many unknowns remain on the potential animal welfare, biosecurity, legal implications, and most importantly public health risks associated with this dark trade.

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Defensive fruit metabolites obstruct seed dispersal by altering bat behavior and physiology at multiple temporal scales

Cited by 26 publications

References 89 publications

Fruit odorants mediate co-specialization in a multispecies plant–animal mutualism

Fruit odorants mediate co-specialization in a multispecies plant–animal mutualism

Evolution of chemodiversity - From verbal to quantitative models

Bat E-Commerce: Insights Into the Extent and Potential Implications of This Dark Trade

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