209702 Environmental Change and Chemical Communication (V+Pr) (WiSe 2024/2025)

Interactions between organisms are mediated by various chemicals. These interactions can be impacted by environmental challenges either due to effects on the biosynthesis and release of chemicals by the sender and/or changes in perception by the receiver. Current anthropogenic pollutants such as pesticides and artificial light at night are known to interfere with the metabolism and behaviour of arthropods and thus influence interactions of individuals within (e.g., mating behaviour), but also between species (e.g., predator-prey interactions). In this course, chemo-ecological methods are introduced and applied to investigate the effects of changing environmental conditions on ecological interactions that are based on pheromones (intraspecific) and allelochemicals (interspecific). Bioassays are used to reveal, which ecological interactions are potentially mediated by chemicals. Bioactive fractions are analysed by chemical analytical methods to characterise the respective metabolites. Furthermore, it is discussed how chemical ecology can contribute to biological pest control. A one-day excursion to a topic-related company offers insights into potential future job options.