The evolution of plant chemical defence

This project delves into the ongoing evolutionary combat between plants and herbivores.

Otherwise known as an 'evolutionary arms-race', both sides of the battle are constantly selecting for adaptations that may better weaponise or protect themselves against the other.

For plants, the objective is to protect themselves, and this takes the form of a profile of chemical volatiles, which varies amongst different species.

But, this level of protection comes at a cost, and we're curious about how adapting against herbivores can affect their competitiveness against other plant species. The project focusses in on the grass family, the most ecologically important plant family. The aim is to unveil the drivers and mechanisms which cause plant chemical defence over time.