Chemical ecology is a broad interdisciplinary field that explores the role of chemical interactions between organisms and the environment, as well as the outcomes of those interactions on the behaviour and evolution of the organisms. The capacity of organisms to recognize and transfer information through chemical substances is one of extraordinary aspects of nature. One can say that chemical communication represents the unspoken language of nature. Chemical communication can be found in almost all biological interactions. It is especially well-expressed in arthropods, plants and fungi. The study of chemoecology provides perception into these biological actions, what opens possibilities of numerous applications in several fields (biomedicine, agriculture, manufacture). For example, chemical signals may be utilized to suppress the spread of certain human diseases, defend a crop from disease and preserve food from pests. The above-mentioned indicate that chemoecology is an extremely significant area of study for numerous basic and applied sciences.
Chemoecological studies conducted to date indicate that there are an endless number of natural products created by arthropods, plants and fungi. The chemical composition of natural products of different groups of those organisms can point out to their specific affinity, on the basis of which certain conclusions related to evolution and phylogeny can be drawn, which is the task of chemotaxonomy. Although there is a great diversity of natural products with a variety of environmental roles and functions, as well as of advanced chemical analyses conducted to date, there is no doubt that the best is yet to come. Additionally, it is very important to shed light on the structure and function of organs that produce natural products, which can have great potential in biomimetics. More complete knowledge of the pathways of synthesis and the ecological role of natural products, as well as the morphology and inner structure of organs that produce them, is necessary in order to more clearly understand the role of those chemicals in ecosystems and their importance for humans, especially in health.
The scope of this Research Topic is to combine results from several fields (chemical ecology, chemotaxonomy, ecology, chemistry, metabolomics, ecophysiology, biomedicine, morphology, phylogeny, evolution, mimetics) by studying representatives of selected groups of organisms (arthropods, plants and fungi). We will focus in particular on research devoted to the study of the chemical composition and paths of synthesis of natural products, as well as the ecological roles and functions of these chemicals and the organs that produce them. Interdisciplinary approach bringing together several types of research is particularly welcome.
Manuscripts with the following aspects of research on arthropods, plants and fungi are of the greatest interest to us:
(i) Chemical ecology, chemistry and environmental role of natural products
(ii) Chemotaxonomy, evolution and phylogeny of natural products
(iii) Development and application of advanced chemical tools for natural products’ analysis (metabolomics, machine learning models)
(iv) Structure and mimetics of organs that secrete natural products
Chemical ecology is a broad interdisciplinary field that explores the role of chemical interactions between organisms and the environment, as well as the outcomes of those interactions on the behaviour and evolution of the organisms. The capacity of organisms to recognize and transfer information through chemical substances is one of extraordinary aspects of nature. One can say that chemical communication represents the unspoken language of nature. Chemical communication can be found in almost all biological interactions. It is especially well-expressed in arthropods, plants and fungi. The study of chemoecology provides perception into these biological actions, what opens possibilities of numerous applications in several fields (biomedicine, agriculture, manufacture). For example, chemical signals may be utilized to suppress the spread of certain human diseases, defend a crop from disease and preserve food from pests. The above-mentioned indicate that chemoecology is an extremely significant area of study for numerous basic and applied sciences.
Chemoecological studies conducted to date indicate that there are an endless number of natural products created by arthropods, plants and fungi. The chemical composition of natural products of different groups of those organisms can point out to their specific affinity, on the basis of which certain conclusions related to evolution and phylogeny can be drawn, which is the task of chemotaxonomy. Although there is a great diversity of natural products with a variety of environmental roles and functions, as well as of advanced chemical analyses conducted to date, there is no doubt that the best is yet to come. Additionally, it is very important to shed light on the structure and function of organs that produce natural products, which can have great potential in biomimetics. More complete knowledge of the pathways of synthesis and the ecological role of natural products, as well as the morphology and inner structure of organs that produce them, is necessary in order to more clearly understand the role of those chemicals in ecosystems and their importance for humans, especially in health.
The scope of this Research Topic is to combine results from several fields (chemical ecology, chemotaxonomy, ecology, chemistry, metabolomics, ecophysiology, biomedicine, morphology, phylogeny, evolution, mimetics) by studying representatives of selected groups of organisms (arthropods, plants and fungi). We will focus in particular on research devoted to the study of the chemical composition and paths of synthesis of natural products, as well as the ecological roles and functions of these chemicals and the organs that produce them. Interdisciplinary approach bringing together several types of research is particularly welcome.
Manuscripts with the following aspects of research on arthropods, plants and fungi are of the greatest interest to us:
(i) Chemical ecology, chemistry and environmental role of natural products
(ii) Chemotaxonomy, evolution and phylogeny of natural products
(iii) Development and application of advanced chemical tools for natural products’ analysis (metabolomics, machine learning models)
(iv) Structure and mimetics of organs that secrete natural products