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The infochemical effect—a new chapter in ecotoxicology

  • IMPACTS AND INTERACTIONS OF CHEMICALS / FATE IN BIOTA • REVIEW ARTICLE
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Abstract

Background, aim, and scope

Organisms use chemical cues in their surrounding, so-called infochemicals, as important source of information about their biotic and abiotic environment. The scope of this work is to transfer the knowledge on infochemicals obtained in chemical ecology into ecotoxicology, compare the observations with ecotoxicological standard tests, with other sublethal effects, and deduce consequences for the legal situation of environmental chemicals.

Main features

General principles were elaborated from the compiled information from literature on the structures and roles of natural infochemicals. The experiences gained in chemical ecology and in ecotoxicology led to the discovery of the infochemical effect: Anthropogenic substances can influence the chemical communication of environmental organisms. This finding is supported by a close look at fragrances and other common anthropogenic substances in the environment.

Results

Increasing scientific knowledge shows how complex the chemical communication of environmental organisms is. Infochemicals are released by senders and detected by receivers. The relevant concentrations of infochemicals are very low, usually in the nano- to micromolar range and they do not seem to have common structural features. Knowledge about natural infochemicals is still poor and not consistent. The chemical cues fluctuate specifically in time and space resulting in dynamic response patterns in the ecosystem. Organisms can react to infochemicals in very specific ways by behavioral, morphological, or physiological responses; activities that are relevant for their survival as vital reactions such as flight, food uptake, or mating are affected. Anthropogenic substances at minor concentrations can interfere in the complex chemical communication web of infochemicals, possibly leading to increased vulnerability of populations.

Discussion

The findings show clearly that the actual description of the interplay of organisms in the ecosystem is still very simplified and we are far from understanding the interactions completely. Anthropogenic discharges may play a role on the chemical communication and, hence, on the behavior and interactions of organisms in the ecosystem. The description of the infochemical effect opens a new chapter in ecotoxicology. It is a challenge to develop a suitable test system for the infochemical effect with the knowledge of the multitude of possible reactions and of the high specificity of infochemicals. Problems during the performance and evaluation of standard tests might be related to reactions due to infochemicals in the test systems which have not been considered so far.

Conclusions

The roles of anthropogenic infochemicals in the environment and the role of natural infochemicals in laboratory tests have been underestimated up to now.

Recommendations and perspectives

The discrepancy between the biological relevance and the lack of data about infochemicals in the environment reveals the necessity of further research. According to the actual findings, infochemicals are so decisive for the interactions in the ecosystem that they should not be neglected in ecotoxicology. The discovery of the infochemical effect is comparable to the detection that environmental substances can act as hormones. Sublethal effects with impacts on the ecosystem, such as the infochemical effect, will receive higher appraisal in the ecotoxicology of the future. It needs to be clarified to which extent anthropogenic discharges disturb the natural chemical communication web. A systematic analysis of this very complex field will be needed to know whether a new ecotoxicological endpoint, the infochemical effect, will have to be taken up in the standard repertoire. The knowledge on infochemicals might require some adjustments of the legal framework on environmental chemicals in future. Looking closer at the infochemical effect will lead to a new understanding of the complexity of environmental communities.

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Electronic supplementary material

The Online Edition of this article is accompanied by a series of slides (texts and diagrams) that you can easily access via this paper. The series titled “Fragrances as infochemicals” responds to the following questions:

  1. 1.

    What are infochemicals?

  2. 2.

    Can anthropogenic substances be infochemicals?

  3. 3.

    Are fragrance ingredients infochemicals?

Each question represents a section. The concluding section provides, as far as is currently possible, information on the following considerations:

  1. 1.

    Will the infochemical effect be a new chapter in ecotoxicology?

  2. 2.

    Which anthropogenic substances are infochemicals?

  3. 3.

    How do the anthropogenic discharges influence natural emissions?

  4. 4.

    Which organisms are affected?

  5. 5.

    Is the ecosystem affected?

The series “Fragrances as infochemicals” makes an ideal co-reading, facilitates the comprehension of the paper and gives new insights in an emerging area of ecotoxicology.

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Correspondence to Ursula Klaschka.

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Klaschka, U. The infochemical effect—a new chapter in ecotoxicology. Environ Sci Pollut Res 15, 452–462 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-008-0019-y

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