Martin Volf brings chemical ecology to a higher level

Martin Volf

Note for the media: Use of the pictures provided by iDiv is permitted for reports related to this media release only, and under the condition that credit is given to the picture originator.

On a recently released video on the iDiv YouTube channel, former MIE member Martin Volf induces large oak trees with methyljasmonate. He carries out this experiment at a stunning height of more than 30 meters in the Leipzig Canopy Crane, which is managed by  Christian Wirth and his team at Leipzig University. This research project, which was funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to Martin, aims to analyze whether the volatiles that are induced lead to higher bird predation and insect parasitation rates of oak herbivores. More information about Martin’s research project can be found in a recent paper published in American Journal of Botany.