Plant-animal relationships

1. Herbivores

Grazers GRASS

Browsers LEAVES

Sap-suckers

Nectar feeders

Stem borers

Chewers

Pollen feeders

Fruit and seed eaters

Gum eaters e.g. marmosets

2. Co-operative relationships between plants and animals

Pollination

Guarding

Protection

Hooks

Birds and fruit

3. Plants that eat animals

Plant defence systems

Physical means of defence

Thorns, spines and prickles

Stings Histamine Acetyl choline

Low growing points

Divarification

Enclosing seeds in a hard coat or prickles

Seed masting E.g. bamboo plants and beech trees

Hiding (stone – cushion plant)

Regeneration Ability to regenerate from the smallest part of the body e.g. smallest part of dandelion rot left in the soil can regenerate into a whole new plant very quickly.

Waxy cuticle and epidermis

Trapping animals Pisonia brunoniana

Chemical defences Chemicals that are produced for no known function in the basis process of life are called secondary compounds Zoopharmacognosy

Chemicals used against pathogens: Antibiotics and phytoalexins Caffeine Chillies “hotness”

Chemicals that deter insects

Canavanine Chewing insects Mimics amino acid arginine

Cyanogenesis Production of cyanide enzyme Glycoside  hydrogen cyanide Hydrogen cyanide  thiocynate

Pungent and volatile chemicals

Pyrethrins Caterpillars and butterflies have enzyme that detoxifies Chrysanthemum – sesamin

Tannins Produced by oak leaves and camellias Stop insects eating Bitter taste

Alkaloids

Phenols Deter insects Hospital smell = carbolic acid Protect plants from bacteria

Other chemicals Strychnine Morphine Digitoxin Peppermint Cinammon Cloves

Terpens taste peppery like Terpentine Possums are grazing specific, and this had had a dramatic effect near Arthurs Pass. The trees here have been selected and stripped especially rata, kamahi and fuschia trees. Many of these trees are now dead, known as canopy dieback. Possums don’t like terpens, so don’t eat trees such as rimu and horipito