Flower scent as pollinator attractant: basic, applied and climate change research

Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Biol. Dr. Stefan Dötterl

Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg

Most flowering plants are pollinated by animals, and the communication between flowers and their pollinators is an essential first step for pollination to occur. Visual (e.g., color) and olfactory (i.e., scent) floral cues are most important for pollinator attraction, but there are large gaps in our understanding of the specific cues involved (e.g. scent components). Our research aims to decode the communication in mutualistic and parasitic pollination systems across the world, with a focus on floral scents. Recently, we also started to test for climate change effects on floral scents and pollinator attraction, and to explore possibilities for using floral scents in sustainable pest control measures.