ENVS 3040 Study Guide - Final Guide: Semiochemical, Kairomone, Allomone
21 May 2017
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Unit 1 chemicals in the natural world. Allelochemical: chemical from organism, affect individuals of another species. Pheromone (intra): substance affecting behavior of same species. Hormone: substance made in an organism, transported in tissue fluids to stimulate cells/tissue into action. Pheromones operate and released outside the body (external environment), hormones work inside. Evolve from compounds originally having other uses or importance. Before adaptation hormonal products were released from emitter and went unnoticed by conspecifics. Then a changing in the conspecific making it a receiver and able to spy and detect pheromonal cues from the emitter. Animals of one species can emit signals that benefit themselves at the cost of the receiving species. Not an instantaneous effect: molecules of odour may fade before reaching sensory organs of receiver. Alarm pheromones may develop response detection in a predator. Time and energy it takes to synthesize pheromone and maintain may be a significant cost.
