Dynamic Scaling in Chemical Ecology

Natural rates of chemical production, release, and transport of fluid-borne molecules drive fundamental biological responses to these stimuli. The scaling of the field signaling environment to laboratory conditions recreates essential features of the dynamics and establishes ecological relevance. If appropriately scaled, laboratory simulations of physical regimes, coupled with natural rates of chemical cue/signal emission, facilitate interpretation of field results. From a meta-analysis of papers published in 11 journals over the last 22 years (1984-1986, 1994-1996, 2004-2006), complete dynamic scaling was rare in both field and laboratory studies. Studies in terrestrial systems often involved chemical determinations, but rarely simulated natural aerodynamics in laboratory wind tunnels. Research in aquatic (marine and freshwater) systems seldom scaled either the chemical or physical environments. Moreover, nearly all research, in all environments, focused on organism-level processes without incorporating the effects of individual-based behavior on populations, communities, and ecosystems. As a result, relationships between chemosensory-mediated behavior and ecological function largely remain unexplored. Outstanding exceptions serve as useful examples for guiding future research. Advanced conceptual frameworks and refined techniques offer exciting opportunities for identifying the ecological significance of chemical cues/signals in behavioral interactions and for incorporating individual effects at higher levels of biological organization.