Pheromones concept

Beauchamp G., Doty R.L., Moulton D.G. and Mugford R.A. (1976). The pheromone concept in mammalian chemical communication a critique. In Pheromones and Reproduction in Mammals (Doty R.L., ed.). Academic Press, New York, pp. 143-160. 

Signaling pheromones are animal-produced, interindividual chemicals that modulate behavior in conspecifics. Like visual and auditory signals, they have comparatively rapid effects exchange of signals takes seconds or minutes. (Priming pheromones [Ch. 8], hy comparison, trigger slower endocrine or developmental processes.) The pheromone concept, originally based on insects (Karlson and Luscher, 1959), has been debated for vertebrates, notably mammals (e.g. Beauchamp etal., 1976 Johnston, 2001). Often it is better to use the term body odors to avoid particular assumptions. Now the term pheromones is widely used for vertebrates, without any particularly narrow definition implied. 

Beauchamp, G.K., Doty, R.L., Moulton, D.G. Mugford, R.A. 1976. The pheromone concept in mammalian chemical communication A critique. In Mammalian Olfaction, Reproductive Processes and Behavior by R. L. Doty), pp 143—160. New York Academic Press. 

McDonald, D.W. Brown, R.E. 1985. Introduction The pheromone concept in mammalian chemical communication. In Social Odours in Mammals (Ed. by R.E. Brown D.W. McDonald), vol 1, pp 1—18. Oxford Clarendon Press. 

Mammalian Olfaction, Reproductive Processes and Behavior" (1976) which was edited by one of the wave of younger researchers, R. L. Doty, deals specifically with mammals, as the title shows. It contains up-to-date information on the role of smell in the reproductive behaviour and endocrinology of mammals, and in addition, accommodates chapters on the anatomy, physiology and development of the nasal chemosensory pathways and an important critique of the pheromone concept in mammalian chemical communication by J. R. Beauchamp, R. L. Doty, D. G. Moulton and R. A. Mugford. A review of reproductive endocrine influences on human nasal chemoreception emphasizes the pressing need for more intensive critical investigation of the behavioural role of olfaction in humans, a line of research which, in fact, Doty subsequently followed up. 

Contrary to the structure similarity of the pheromones secreted by taxonomical related moths, some differences are necessary for their sexual communication systems to play an important role in their reproductive isolation. In addition to further modifications of the various structures, diversity of the lepidopteran sex pheromones is generated by blending multiple components. Innumerable pheromone blends are based not only on combinations of different components but also on variations in the mixing ratio. A pioneer study with Adoxophyes spp. (Tortricidae Tortricinae) had already proposed this concept in the early 1970s. While the smaller tea tortrix (A. honmai) and the Japanese summerfruit tortrix (A. oranafasciata) had been considered to be variant strains with different host preferences in the same species, Tamaki et al. found that females of the former pest insect in the tea garden secreted Z9-14 OAc and Zll-14 OAc in a ratio of 7 4 but females of the latter defoliator of apple trees secreted them in a ratio of 13 4 [127,128]. Furthermore, two other components (Ell-14 OAc and MelO-12 OAc) were subsequently identified from the former species [129]. 

Pheromone communication in moths and its role in the speciation process. In Speciation and the Recognition Concept, eds. D. M. Lambert and H. G. Spencer, pp. 263-300. Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press. 

Collectively, science knows nothing about the topic of this chapter. The objective of this discussion is to formulate problems that can stimulate research and to illuminate the concepts. Still, the various factors mentioned are real. CAMs have been discovered recently,2 growth factors have been known for a long time,6 and, of course, hormones are in principle no different than the pheromones whereby insects communicate over long distances.7... 

The pheromones can also be used to enhance a beneficial activity of the beetles. Nitidulids are primary pollinators of custard apple (Annona) flowers, but poor pollination has often been a problem (Gazit et al., 1982 Nagel et al., 1989). A new concept was to place pheromone lures in Annona trees to increase beetle density and enhance pollination, and Pena et al. (1999) found that pollination and fruit set were significantly improved when the pheromones were employed. 

Early experiments in our laboratory were concerned with methods for sampling and analysis of TDAL from formulations (6), insects (7) and from the forest atmosphere (8). This work was largely founded upon concepts developed previously by Beroza e t al. (9, 10, 11). Since then, several other groups have applied these concepts to the measurement of a number of different insect pheromone release rates (12, 13). On the basis of our early findings, we were convinced that the existing laboratory techniques for release rate determination from formulations were inadequate. Laboratory tested formulations did not experience the extremes of climatic variation which are the norm in the field and consequently the release rate results were not transferable to field performance. 

In 1959 when the first pheromone bombykol [(10 ,12 Z)-10,12-he.xadecadien-1 -ol] was identified as the female-produced sex attractant of the silkworm moth Bombyx mori, the pheromonal activity was thought to be totally due to that single compound.6 At present, it is generally believed that a pheromone is composed of many pheromone components (see Chapter 4.04), which resembles the present concept in flavor and fragrance chemistry, that is, to consider a mixture as a whole to be responsible for a particular sense of smell (see Chapter 4.15). 

Dncept Tree starts with an idea and uses that idea to identify concepts, or connecting points, from which alternative ideas can he derived. For example, a perfume designer could explore the concept behind a new fragrance idea and suhsequently create a way to naturally enhance a person s pheromones. 

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