• Pollination biology in Neotropical perfume flowers
• Floral scent and chemical ecology
• Insect- plant interactions
• Euglossine pollination
   

Ecology and evolution of floral scents in perfume flowers

Perfume flowers produce intense floral scent that functions both as attractants and as floral rewards for euglossine bees. The males of euglossine bees show a very unique and complex behavior, which is very unusual among insects. They collect aromatic compounds from perfume flowers (and other natural sources, such as feces, fungi and rotting vegetation) which are stored in specialized hindleg poches located at their hind tibiae. The accumulated perfumes are later exposed by presenting small samples of scent to females during courtship.

For my PhD project, I aim to deepen our understanding of the specialized interaction between male euglossine bees and perfume flowers. Specifically, I seek to explore the role of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds in floral scents and their importance in the ecology and evolution of this unique mutualism. This international, collaborative project employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating chemical and behavioral ecology, pollination biology, and insect physiology.

This project, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), unites four international research groups.