Behavioral responses of Drosophila to biogenic levels of carbon dioxide depend on life-stage, sex and olfactory context.

Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen) detects and uses many volatiles for its survival. Carbon dioxide (CO(2)) is detected in adults by a special class of olfactory receptor neurons, expressing the gustatory receptor Gr21a. The behavioral responses to CO(2) were investigated in a four-field olfactometer bioassay that is new for Drosophila.

A plant notices insect egg deposition and changes its rate of photosynthesis.

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is known to change its terpenoid metabolism in response to egg deposition by the sawfly Diprion pini (Hymenoptera, Diprionidae). Three days after egg deposition, parts of the pine twig adjacent to the egg-laden one are induced to emit volatiles, which attract egg parasitoids. In this study, we investigated whether egg deposition by this sawfly affects pine photosynthesis.