Plant coexistence alters terpene emission and content of Mediterranean species

• Published in: Phytochemistry (Oxford) Vol. 68; no. 6; pp. 840 - 852
• Main Authors: Ormeño, Elena, Fernandez, Catherine, Mévy, Jean-Philippe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aleppo pine; Biological and medical sciences; camphene; camphor; Chemical constitution; Chromatography, Gas; Cistaceae; Cistus - metabolism; Cistus albidus; Cistus ladanifer; Ecosystem; Fagaceae; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; interspecific competition; intraspecific competition; Kermes oak; Labiaceae; Mediterranean Region; Metabolism; Metabolism. Physicochemical requirements; Monoterpenes; Monoterpenes - chemistry; Monoterpenes - metabolism; monoterpenoids; Multivariate Analysis; Pinaceae; Pinus - metabolism; Pinus halepensis; plant biochemistry; plant ecology; Plant Leaves - metabolism; Plant physiology and development; Plant secondary metabolism; Plants - metabolism; Quercus - metabolism; Quercus coccifera; Rockrose; Rosemary; Rosmarinus officinalis; secondary metabolites; Seedlings - metabolism; Sesquiterpenes; Sesquiterpenes - chemistry; Sesquiterpenes - metabolism; sesquiterpenoids; Species Specificity; Terpenes; Terpenes - chemistry; Terpenes - metabolism; terpenoids; volatile organic compounds; Mediterranean Region; Pinus halepensis; Plant secondary metabolism; Cistaceae; Rockrose; Fagaceae; Aleppo pine; Kermes oak; Pinaceae; Quercus coccifera; Sesquiterpenes; Rosmarinus officinalis; Rosemary; Monoterpenes; Cistus albidus; Labiaceae; Terpenes; Emission; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Gymnospermae; Secondary metabolism; Interaction; Plant leaf; Stress; Seedlings; Terpene; Labiatae; Camphor; Intraspecific competition; Monoterpene; Coniferales; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0031-9422; 1873-3700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.11.033

Leaf terpene emissions, measured with a dynamic bag enclosure, and leaf stored terpenes from Rosmarinus officinalis, Pinus halepensis and Cistus albidus were altered by intra and interspecific competition conditions. For each species, stored and emitted terpenes were altered differently by competition. There is evidence that secondary metabolism may modulate plant interactions and is modified by different biotic stress agents, such as herbivores or pathogens. However, it is poorly understood whether secondary metabolism is altered during competition among plants. The intraspecific and interspecific coexistence of some Mediterranean potted seedlings, namely Rosmarinus officinalis, Pinus halepensis, Cistus albidus and Quercus coccifera was investigated through their terpene accumulation within leaves (except for Q. coccifera, a non-storing species) and terpene emissions (for all species). Competition had both positive and negative effects for both terpene emissions and content, depending on the species a seedling coexisted with. For R. officinalis, terpene concentrations (1.8-cineole and camphor) and terpene emissions (camphene, camphor and overall monoterpenes) were lower when the neighbour species was P. halepensis. For C. albidus, no changes were observed in its content, while the overall sesquiterpene emissions (70% of total emissions) were reduced in all competition conditions, except in intraspecific competition. In the case of P. halepensis, the highest terpene content occurred when it grew with C. albidus, and in intraspecific competition, while its emissions were reduced under these conditions. Only emissions of Q. coccifera showed no significant changes in the different competition treatments.