title: Back to the past for pollination biology.
abstract: Manipulations of the interactions between plants and their floral visitors remain the most successful path to an understanding of floral traits, which may have been shaped by both herbivores and pollinators. By using genetic tools in combination with old-fashioned field work the dual protective/advertisement functions of floral traits are being realized. The distinction between wanted and unwanted floral visitors is blurring, and plants with specialized pollination systems are being found capable of using alternative pollinators if the specialized pollinators fail to perform.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, 07745 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Ian T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Baldwin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D009812:Odorants; D057048:Plant Nectar / Q000737:chemistry; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000502:physiology; D054817:Pollination; D013045:Species Specificity; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D057048:Plant Nectar; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds