The foraging behavior of granivorous rodents and short-term apparent competition among seeds

The foraging behavior of a predator species is thought to bethe cause of short-term apparent competition among those preyspecies that share the predator. Short-term apparent competitionis the negative indirect effect that one prey species has onanother prey species via its effects on predator foraging behavior.In theory, the density-dependent foraging behavior of granivorousrodents and their preference for certain seeds are capable of inducing short-term apparent competition among seed species.In this study, I examined the foraging behavior of two heteromyidrodent species (family Heteromyidae), Merriam's kangaroo rats(Dipodomys merriami) and little pocket mice (Perognathus longimembris).In one experiment I tested the preferences of both rodent speciesfor the seeds of eight plant species. Both rodent species exhibiteddistinct but variable preferences for some seeds and avoidanceof others. However, the differences in preference appearedto have only an occasional effect on the strength of the short-term apparent competition detected in a field experiment. In anotherexperiment, I found that captive individuals of both rodentspecies had approximately equal foraging effort (i.e., timespent foraging) in patches that contained a highly preferredseed type (Oryzopsis hymenoides) regardless of seed density and the presence of a less preferred seed type (Astragalus cicer)in the patches. The rodents also harvested a large proportionof O. hymenoides seeds regardless of initial seed density;this precluded a negative indirect effect of A. cicer on O.hymenoides. But there was a negative indirect effect of O.hymenoides on A. cicer caused by rodents having a lower foragingeffort in patches that only contained A. cicer seeds than inpatches that contained A. cicer and O. hymenoides seeds. Theindirect interaction between O. hymenoides and A. cicer thusrepresented a case of short-term apparent competition thatwas non-reciprocal. Most importantly, it was caused by theforaging behavior of the rodents.     

Arms races between social parasites and their hosts: geographic patterns of manipulation and resistance

The evolutionary interactions between permanently social parasiticspecies and their hosts are of special interest because socialparasites are not only closely dependent on, but are also closelyrelated to, their hosts. The small European slavemaker Harpagoxenussublaevis has evolved several characters that help manipulateits host. In this study we investigated adaptations of thissocial parasite to its local hosts and the geographic patternof host resistance in two main host species from three differentpopulations. In behavioral experiments, we examined whetherhost colonies from three geographically distant Leptothoraxacervorum populations varied in their ability to defend thenest against social parasites. Naive colonies from the unparasitizedEnglish population killed attacking slavemakers more often thandid host colonies from two parasitized populations. We alsofound strong interpopulation variation in the ability of theslavemaker to manipulate host behavior. H. sublaevis uses theDufour gland secretion to induce intracolonial fights and, ingeneral, this "propaganda" substance was most effective againstlocal hosts. Our results suggest that the social parasite isleading the arms race in this aspect. Similar experiments uncovereddifferences between two populations of the second host speciesL. muscorum and could demonstrate that nest defense in bothhost species is similarly efficient. In L. acervorum, monogynouscolonies were more successful in nest defense, whereas socialstructure had no impact in L. muscorum. Colony size did notaffect the efficacy of nest defense in either host species.The caste of the slavemaker had a strong influence on the successof an attack.     

Bidirectional communication system in katydids: the effect on chorus structure

Unlike most acoustic systems evolved for pair formation whereonly males signal, the katydidPhaneroptera nana has a bidirectional communication system where both males and females sing. Despiteextensive study on male chorusing behavior in different communicationsystems, this behavior has rarely been explored in duettingspecies. I examined how this bidirectional communication systemaffects the collective pattern of male signaling.P. nana malesalternate their songs, and in response to synthetic stimulidelay their calls, according to the phase of stimulation. Pairsof synthetic calls (simulating alternating males) presentedto females elicited equal female response, as long as the intercallinterval was 200 ms. Thus, male alternation is imposed by thefemale's responsiveness and may be interpreted as a "jammingavoidance reaction." Further evidence suggests that chorusstructure is not merely constrained by the female sensory temporalresolution, but rather is adaptively related to female choicein this species.     

The genetic basis of phenotypic convergence in beach mice: similar pigment patterns but different genes

Convergent evolution is a widespread phenomenon seen in diverseorganisms inhabiting similar selective environments. However,it is unclear if similar phenotypes are produced by the sameor different genes and mutations. Here we analyze the molecularmechanisms underlying convergent pigment pattern among subspeciesof the beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) inhabiting the Gulfand Atlantic coasts of Florida. In these two geographic regions,separated by more than 300 km, "beach mice" have lighter coloredcoats than do their mainland counterparts, produced by naturalselection for camouflage against the pale coastal sand dunes.We measured color pattern in eight beach mouse subspecies andshowed that three of the Gulf Coast subspecies are more phenotypicallysimilar to an Atlantic coast subspecies than to their Gulf Coastneighbors. However, light-colored beach mice do not form a monophyleticgroup. Previous results implicated a single derived amino acidchange in the melanocortin-1 receptor (Mc1r) as a major contributorto pigment pattern in the Gulf Coast beach mice; despite phenotypicsimilarities, the derived Mc1r allele was not found in the Atlanticcoast beach mouse populations. Here we show that Atlantic coastbeach mice have high levels of Mc1r polymorphism but they lackunique alleles. Functional assays revealed that single aminoacid mutations segregating in Atlantic coast beach mice do notcause any change in Mc1r activity compared with the activityof Mc1r from dark-colored mice. These joint results show thatconvergent pigment patterns in recently diverged beach mousesubspecies—whose developmental constraints are presumablysimilar—have evolved through a diversity of genetic mechanisms.     

烟夜蛾和棉铃虫对高浓度烟草挥发物的电生理和行为反应

寡食性的烟夜蛾Helicoverpa assulta (Guenée)和广食性的棉铃虫H. armigera (Hübner)是夜蛾属Heliothis的两近缘种昆虫。主要的农作物中,棉花和番茄上极少发现烟夜蛾,而辣椒上几乎没有棉铃虫,只有烟草均为二者所嗜食,也唯独在烟草上它们可以稳定共存。为明确植物挥发物对昆虫寄主定向和选择行为的影响,本文运用触角电位（EAG）和风洞技术,测定了两种夜蛾的处女雌蛾、交配雌蛾及雄蛾对20种高浓度（0.1 mol/L）烟草挥发物的电生理和行为反应。结果表明：烟夜蛾和棉铃虫对测试的烟草挥发物均可产生EAG反应,而且都表现出绿叶气味＞脂类和芳香化合物＞单萜、倍半萜和杂环化合物的总体反应趋势;两种夜蛾对多数化合物的EAG反应既无显著的种内性别差异,也无显著的种间差异,表明二者嗅觉神经系统对寄主气味图谱的识别和感受能力具有一定的相似性,可对寄主植物的化学信息产生相同的“理解”;二者的行为反应结果与EAG反应结果基本一致,即两种夜蛾受到的嗅觉刺激与产生的行为反应具有统一性,结合两种夜蛾寄主范围的差异,推测烟草挥发物主要影响两种夜蛾的寄主定向行为,而寄主选择行为可能更依赖于二者与植物接触后对植物理化性质的评价过程。     

Phenotypic plasticity of larval retreat design in a net-spinning caddisfly

Larval Macrostemum carolina caddisflies construct silken catchnetswithin protective retreats, often on submerged trees and branches(i.e., snags). In the Savannah River, M. carolina larvae constructthree distinct retreats that differ in the configuration ofthe water entrance hole: (1) at the end of a silken tube, (2)flush with the top of the retreat, and (3) backed by a 180-degreesilken backstop. To identify the proximate mechanism mediatingthis retreat polymorphism, we removed larvae of known phenotypefrom their original retreats and brought them into the laboratory,allowing them to construct new retreats. We found that (1) larvaecan construct more than one type of retreat, so variation inthis behavior is not under strict genetic control; (2) larvaedo not preferentially reconstruct their original retreat design,so these alternative behaviors apparently exhibit little heritability;and (3) larvae primarily construct each phenotype in a particularmicrohabitat (i.e., "tube" and "backstop" retreats are principallyconstructed on the downstream half of the snag, and "flush"retreats on the upstream–bottom quadrant). Therefore,the retreat polymorphism in M. carolina is phenotypically plasticand is controlled by microhabitat location or a correlated environmentalvariable. Most net-spinning caddisflies construct their netsin fairly specific microhabitats. However, behavioral plasticityallows M. carolina larvae to construct retreats all around asnag, thereby reducing potentially intense competition for spacewith other net-spinning caddisflies. Consequently, this maybe the ultimate reason this polymorphism evolved.     

Ontogeny of Ultrasonic and Locomotor Responses to Nest Odors in Rodents

SYNOPSIS. Rodents discriminate and prefer familiar odors earlyin life. Almost from birth young rats suckle in response tomaternal odor, but suckle less when nipples are cleaned withorganic solvents. In two-choice tests, young prefer familiarnest odors, whether naturally occurring or artificially presented,and can even be made to tolerate odors normally aversive orto avoid odors normally pleasant. Variations in maternal dietcan alter odor preferences of theyoung. Nest odors can affect vocalization of young rodents. In contrastto the consistent effects of cold temperature and handling inthe many rodents studied, nest odors may affect vocalizationdifferently in different species. For example, familiar odorsreduce calling in rats, but increase calling in pine voles.Nest odor also alters spontaneous activity in young rats, whichlocomoteless when maternal odor is present. In this paper I report that home nest odors enhanced locomotionin rodents of three species (pine voles, Microtus pinetorum;white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus; and wild house mice,Mus musculus), but that the age at which this pattern occurredand the relationships of nest odors to vocalizations differedamong the species.     

Evolution of Anoline Lizard Display Behavior

Based on my conceptual framework of anoline display behavior,I am suggesting the following evolutionary trends. Lateral presentationduring display was probably promoted by monocular vision. Alongwith lateral presentation, postures evolved to increase lateraloutline. These postures which magnified body size were probablyof selective advantage within aggressive social contexts sincelarger animals tend to dominate smaller ones through bluff.Body movement evolved along with lateral orientation and size-enhancingpostures. These movements would be most effective if they complementedlateral orientation. Effectors available for such movementswere primarily pre-adapted for vertical motion. The patternsof movement generated were probably simple oscillatory bobbingmovements by the head which were weakly stereotyped, interspecificallysimilar, appearing in many contexts, and having a weakly definedinformation content. Events having selective advantage for speciesrecognition promoted stereotypy of bobbing behavior into species-uniquedisplays; each species had its unique signature display whichserved in a manifold communicatory capacity. The signature displayappeared in assertion, courtship, and challenge contexts. Itsinformation content varied depending upon context and recipientof the display (e.g., male or female). Besides the stereotypedaspects of the display, certain features remained variable withpotential information significance. Core variability (see text)promotes individual recognition and may be the origin of newunique display patterns as sibling species emerge. Display modifiers(see text) are variable display features shared by members ofa population (many being shared interspecifically) that providea graded appearance to display performance; modifiers can indicatelevel of arousal and facilitate interspecific communication.For some species display repertoire size seems to have evolvedfrom a single display (signature display) to repertoires ofmultiple displays; these subsequent displays are generally restrictedto aggressive interactions.     

Comparative paternal and infanticidal behavior of sympatric white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis) and deermice (P. maniculatus nubiterrae)

We studied parental and infanticidal behavior in the field andlaboratory in two ecologically equivalent and sympatric congeners,white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis, and deermice,P. maniculatus nubiterrae. Despite their close phylogeneticrelationship and ecological similarity, various aspects of parentaland nesting behavior of the two species were significantly different.P. maniculatus males were more paternal than were P. leucopusmales in that they retrieved pups, nested with pregnant femalesand females with newborn pups, and formed longer associationswith females than did P. leucopus males. Thus, P. m. nubiterraeexhibited more pair-bonding (monogamous) characteristics thandid either P. leucopus or P. m. bairdi, as reported in otherstudies. The behavioral differences may represent the differentevolutionary history of the three subspecies. Infanticidal behavior,however, was similar in both species. Dispersing and unmatedmales killed strange pups placed in experimental test chambersin the field, whereas mated males did not kill pups within theirown home ranges. Resident females of both species were moreinfanticidal than were males, killing pups in 90% of the trials.The results support the sexual selection and resource competitionhypotheses for male and female infanticide, respectively. [BehavEcol 1991; 2: 38-45]     

Individual swimming behavior of Daphnia: effects of food, light and container size in four clones

Different species of Daphnia show differences in their swimmingbehavior under different environmental conditions. We measuredthe three-dimensional swimming behavior of individual adultfemale Daphnia in the mesocosm-scale Plön plankton towers(6400 1) and in small (183 ml) observation chambers. Speed,sinking rate and turning angle were chosen as optimal variablesfor describing the free-swimming animals of four species. Speed,sinking rate and turning angle show uniformity of variance amongtreatments, and they are relatively independent. Light leveland food level strongly affected swimming behavior. Light andfood effects tended to be independent, although there were twoinstances of synergism (out of 12 possible interactions). Eachof the four species (one clone per species) showed a uniqueresponse to food and light, which may reflect the diverse environmentalorigin of each clone. Swimming behavior was consistently differentbetween the small-scale (183 ml) observation chamber and themesocosm-scale (6400 1) plankton tower, suggesting that containersize affects swimming behavior: in the smaller chamber, Daphnia,regardless of species, swam slower, sank slower and tended tomove in straighter paths.     

Nouvelles formulations des regles ecologiques connues sous le nom de reegle de Bergmann et loi de Jordan: Amendments of the ecological rules known as Bergmann's and Jordan's rules

Measurements of populations of planktonic and micronektonicspecies from the Atlanto-mediterranean region (about 10,000specimens) have lead to improvements in Bergmann's rule relatingto the increase in size with latitude. There are three cases : Mediterranean specimens may be smaller(e.g. the mysid Eucopia hansent), equal to (e.g. the decapodcrustacean Gennadas elegans) or larger than Atlantic ones (e.g.the thecosomatous genus Cymbulia). All the species in the last group have their principal distributionin warm ocean waters. In the Atlantic, tropical species (e.g.the euphausiid Euphausia gibboides) decrease in size in thenorthern parts of their range while temperate species (e.g.the decapod crustacean Sergesles corniculum) decrease in sizetowards both the pole and the equator. The comparison with the number of vertebrae of fish, which increasesas does the size according to Jordan's rule, is interesting:though correct for cold water species (e.g. Merlucdus merluccius),this rule cannot be applied to warm water species (e.g. Merlucciussenegalensis). Thus, these rules must be corrected like this:- "a species reachesits maximal size in high, intermediate or low latitudes of itsarea if it has a boreal, temperate or tropical distribution"; - "the number of vertebrae increases with latitude for borealfish and decreases for tropical ones".     

Chemical, mechanical and visual cues in the vertical migration behavior of the marine planktonic copepod Acartia hudsonica

Recent experimental evidence in both marine and freshwater systemsindicates that predators can induce vertical migration behaviorin individual zooplankters, yet the specific cues by which zooplankterssense their predators appear to vary. In situ manipulation experimentswere carried out with enclosed populations of the marine planktoniccopepod Acartia hudsonica to re-examine the potential role ofchemical cues in the behavior of A.hudsonica, and to test explicitlyfor the role of mechanical or visual stimuli in triggering verticalmigration behavior in this species. Adult female copepods wereinduced to vertically migrate (descend) when exposed to fishmimics during the day, but no such response occurred when thecopepods were exposed to Fish mimics during the night. Moreover,copepods exhibited no changes in vertical distribution whenexposed to water which, having recently held a natural predator(the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus), was presumedto be laden with predator-produced chemical exudates. Predator-mediatedmechanical or visual cues, or a hierarchy of both, are responsiblefor eliciting vertical migration behavior in adult female A.hudsonica.These results, together with those of other investigations demonstratingthe inducing role of chemical exudates, indicate that the stimulieliciting vertical migration in zooplankton can be expectedto vary between species.     

Behavioral Adaptations of Terrestrial Isopods

In their response to environmental stimuli, terrestrial isopodsshow various trends that are correlated with their ecology andphysiology. With the transition from sea to the littoral zone (Ligia), orientationto light changes from positive to negative. Yet, since theseisopods are positively hygrokinetic even at very high humidities,their hygroreaction is of greater significance than their photoreaction. In isopods from mesic habitats (Oniscus, Porcellio, Armadillidium)photoreaction becomes of less significance than in littoralspecies, until in some species it reverts to positive (Armadillidium).Sometimes the positive photoreaction occurs only at high temperatures(Porcellio), a pattern of behavior correlated with thermoregulationby evaporative cooling. Similarly, in mesic species the responseto humidity becomes less significant than in littoral species,resuming importance mainly when the isopods become dehydrated(Armadillidium). Finally, in isopods from xeric habitats in semi-arid and desertregions (Armadillo, Venezillo), photoreaction is strongly negativeexcept in Hemilepistus at lower temperatures. All of these isopodsare positively hygrokinetic only at low humidities and are stronglynegatively thermoactive, indicating a drop in activity at hightemperatures. The photonegative response in these isopods isstronger than the hygroreaction.     

Multi-Gene Family of Major Surface Glycoproteins of Pneumocystis carinii: Full-Size cDNA Cloning and Expression

The major surface glycoprotein (MSG) of Pneumocystis cariniiplays a crucial role in the fatal pneumonia caused by this organismin AIDS patients. A cDNA encoding a full-length MSG polypeptidewas isolated from a phage library of rat-derived P. cariniicDNAs. The deduced MSG, referred to as the MSG5 subtype, isa 120,765-Da protein composed of 1,076 amino acids and containsan anchoring hydrophobic sequence at the C-terminus of the protein.Sequence analyses of cloned MSG-cDNAs revealed an MSG-gene familywith 70% protein sequence identity between subtypes. P. cariniikaryotype hybridization analyses indicated that the MSG genefamily members are scattered throughout most of the P. cariniichromosomes. These recombinant MSG proteins reacted with theantiserum from P. carinii-infected rats, as expected, and antiserumgenerated against P. carinii-infected mice, indicating the existenceof common determinants in MSG polypeptides. The family of MSGproteins is rich in cysteine residues and these cysteine arehighly conserved in all MSG subtypes regardless of species specificity,suggesting the structural and/or functional importance of thesecysteine. The pathobiological significance of the MSG gene familyand its sequence diversity in P. carinii is discussed.     

大叶铁线莲访花昆虫调查及盗蜜昆虫行为研究

大叶铁线莲Clematis heracleifolia DC. 的花朵大多下垂,需要传粉昆虫为其传粉,目前尚无关于其访花昆虫研究的报道。 通过2年的野外观察研究,共观察到27种昆虫访问大叶铁线莲。 发现有盗蜜行为的昆虫7种, 其中1种同时具有初级盗蜜和次级盗蜜行为,2种具有初级盗蜜行为,4种具有次级盗蜜行为;黄胸木蜂Xylocopa appendiculata Smith是主要的盗蜜昆虫,其盗蜜行为影响了其它昆虫的访花行为,对大叶铁线莲的传粉造成一定的影响。 在其余20种访花昆虫中,双带弄蝶Lobocla bifasciata (Bremer et Grey)、贡尺蛾Gonodontis aurata Prout、熊蜂Bombus sp.和姬蜂虻Systropus sp.是优势种; 而小青花金龟Oxycetonia jucunda Faldermann和日本条螽Ducetia japonica (Thunberg)访花频率最低,且访花目的只是取食花朵。 通过对大叶铁线莲访花昆虫的调查和盗蜜昆虫行为的研究,为大叶铁线莲的传粉生物学和保护提供参考依据。     

The 'Diffuse' Centromere or Polycentric Chromosomes in Spirogyra

1. Among ten species of Spirogyra types are distinguished withlarge-, medium-, and small-sized chromosomes.
2. Evidence ofcompound structure is presented with regard to thelarge-andmedium-sized chromosomes.
3. Parallel separation of chromatids,first described by Geitlerfor S. crassa, is found in all specieshaving large chromosomesand to some degree in those with medium-sizedchromosomes.
4. It is suggested that the parallel separationof chromatids iscaused by their polycentric nature.
5. Polyploidyin the genus is only doubtfully comparable with thatin thehigher plants.
6. It is suggested that in Spirogyra the localizedcentromere mayhave evolved in a polycentric chromosome.
7. Comparisonsare drawn between Spirogyra and other organismsstated to have‘diffuse’ centromeres and it is suggestedthat theirchromosomes also are polycentric.

     

Pollinator Specificity and Convergence in Fly-pollinated Pleurothallis(Orchidaceae) Species: A Multiple Population Approach

We studied the floral biology of 12 populations of five rupicolousPleurothallis(Orchidaceae) species occurring in campo rupestre vegetationat nine localities in Brazil. All of these species are pollinatedby flies belonging to the families Chloropidae and Phoridae.In the five Pleurothallis species studied, all conspecific populationsattracted the same pollinator species. All pollinators werefemales; they laid eggs in flowers of the two nectarless species,but never in the flowers of nectar-presenting species. The twopairs ofPleurothallis species with similar flower morphologiesand odours attracted the same pollinators: P. johannensis -P. fabiobarrosii, pollinated by Tricimba sp. (Chloropidae) andP. teres - P. ochreata pollinated by Megaselia spp. (Phoridae).There was no overlap in the distribution of thePleurothallisspecies that shared pollinators. Despite similarities in floralmorphology and odour, genetic data show that these species pairsare not each other's closest relatives. We hypothesize thatthese similarities are due to convergence in allopatric speciesthat evolved similar pollination mechanisms. Conversely, thereare reasons to believe that adaptation to different pollinationmechanisms occurred in the closely related species P. johannensisand P. teres.Copyright 2001 Annals of Botany Company Pleurothallis, Orchidaceae, floral biology, fly-pollination, Chloropidae, Phoridae, pollinator specificity, campo rupestre     

Specialized predation on plataspid heteropterans in a coccinellid beetle: adaptive behavior and responses of prey attended or not by ants

Two plataspid hemipteran species proliferated on Bridelia micrantha(Euphorbiaceae). Colonies of Libyaspis sp., never attendedby ants, developed on branches, while Caternaultiella rugosa lived at the base of the trunks, mostly in association withCamponotus brutus that attends them in carton shelters. Bothplataspid species are prey of the coccinellid beetle Anisolemniatetrasticta, whose larvae always detected them by contact.When attacked the Libyaspis nymphs cowered, so that the hypertrophiedlateral sides of their tergits made contact with the substrate,but the ladybirds slid their long forelegs under these nymphs,lifted them, and bit them on the ventral face. The Caternaultiellanymphs, which do not have hypertrophied extremities of thetergits, tried to escape at contact with the ladybirds, butwere rarely successful. To capture them, the ladybirds eitheradopted the previous behavior or directly grasped then bitthem. We noted a graded aggressiveness in the ants toward theladybirds according to the situation: no aggressiveness onthe tree branches; stopping the ladybirds that approached theshelters where the ants attended Caternaultiella; and fullattack of ladybirds that tried to capture Caternaultiella nymphssituated outside shelters. The latter behavior can emit analarm pheromone that triggers the dispersion of their congenerswhile attracting attending C. brutus workers. Naive workersare not attracted, so we deduce that this behavior is the resultof a kind of learning.     

Chemical Interactions in the Cactus-Microorganism-Drosophila Model System of the Sonoran Desert

The Cactus-Microorganism-Drosophila Model System of the SonoranDesert represents an excellent paradigm of the role of chemistryin plant-animal interactions. In this system, four species ofendemic Drosophila feed and reproduce in necrotic tissue offive species of columnar cacti. Studies over the past 35 yrhave characterized a myriad of interactions between the threemajor components of the model system. The cacti contain a varietyof allelochemicals which are primarily responsible for the highlyspecific pattern of host plant utilization exhibited by thedesert Drosophila. Plant chemistry, through its effect on themicrobially produced volatile patterns, is further involvedin host specificity because the flies use the volatile patternto cue in on necroses in the appropriate species of cactus.The metabolic activities of microorganisms (bacteria and yeasts)living in the necrosis can affect the substrate chemistry inboth positive and negative ways (i.e., acting to increase orto decrease the toxicity of the substrate). Finally, cactuschemistry may affect drosophilid mating behavior since larvalrearing substrate has been shown to influence adult hydrocarbonepicuticular composition. In D. mojavensis, adult hydrocarbonprofile has been implicated as a determinant of mate choiceleading to premating isolation between geographically isolatedpopulations that use chemically different cactus substrates.Current research is focused on the evolution and regulationof genes whose products (cytochrome P450 enzymes) are involvedin the specific insect-host plant relationships which existbetween the Drosophila species and the cactus species. There are many reasons why investigators choose to focus theirresearch efforts on what are referred to as "model systems."Typically included among these would be the idea that modelsystems are easier to study because they are less complex thanother scientific situations. At the same time, model systemsshould be representative of more complex, natural systems sothat information that is obtained from their study is broadlyapplicable. For almost a century, the fruit fly, Drosophilamelanogaster, has served as a model organism for the study ofgenetics. As a genetic paradigm, Drosophila is more tractableto scientific investigation than most organisms and has providedimportant insights into a wide variety of human maladies fromalcohol abuse to neurological brain disorders (Bellen, 1998).Similarly, the interrelationships of the columnar cacti andthe cactophilic Drosophila species of the Sonoran Desert have,for the past 35 yr, provided an excellent model system withwhich to study relevant questions in evolution, ecological genetics,and chemical ecology. The intent of this article is to brieflyreview and characterize the chemical interactions between theplants (cacti) and animals (Drosophila) of this model system,and, in addition, provide some thoughts on possible future directionsfor integrative approaches in this research area.