Herbivory

What are tannins?

Bitter tasting group of chemicals that put animals off acting leaves. Also make it harder for herbivores to digest plants. Toxic to insects as they bind to digestive enzymes, produced in saliva and inactivate them

What are alkaloids?

Bitter tasting nitrogenous compounds found in plants. Act as drugs, affecting metabolism of animals in taking them and sometimes poison them. Include caffeine, nicotine

How is caffeine a chemical defence?

Toxic to fungi and insects, and caffeine produced spreads through the soil and prevents germination of seeds of other plants - protecting plants against herbivores and plant rivals

How is nicotine a chemical defence?

Transported to the leaves and stored in vacuoles to be released when the leaf is eaten

What are terpenoids?

Compounds produced by plants which form essential oils, but also act as toxins to insect and fungi which might attack the plant

What are pheromones?

Chemical that produces a response in another member of the same species

What are volatile organic compounds (VOC)?

Affect members of diff species, they diffuse thru the air in and around the plant

Folding in response to touch?

Slow plants contain toxic alkaloids, and have stems with sharp prickles, but if leaves are touched they fold and collapse. Leaf falls in few seconds, and recovers over 10 mins, due to K+ movement into cells