Re: Plants, Herbivores and toxins

From: chris (rfrf_at_theshop.net)
Date: 03/03/05 

Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 16:35:22 -0500 (EST)

Binesh Bannerjee wrote:
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> Hi.
> (Not a specialist by any means here, just a lowly programmer
> curious about a question)... So, here goes...
>
> I read the Blank Slate, and How the Mind Works by
> Steven Pinker, and several other references, where it's said
> that plants, not wanting to be predated on by herbivores, have
> evolved toxins in their bodies to prevent the predation. The
> evolutionary arms race that follows leads to livers in animals,
> etc. I think I understand this.
>
> I'm curious if any similar phenomena happens with
> herbivores and carnivores. Do herbivores engage in any sort
> of chemical warfare with _their_ predators? Would it be correct
> to assume that the normal lesson associated with butterflies
> mimicing the _appearance_ of bad tasting butterflies implies
> a hidden lesson that the bad tasting butterflies acquired
> that taste, because all the ones that tasted better to their
> predators were eaten?
>
> Are there examples of animals that change their taste,
> as a measure against predators eating them? Is it a myth that
> fear alters the taste of meat is another question I'm curious
> about.
>
> Thanks!
> Binesh Bannerjee
>
>
> - --
> "Q. What if I want to have sex before marriage?"
> "A. Well then, you'll just have to be prepared to die."
> -- Sex education, shown on CBS's <60 Minutes>, 6 Mar 94
>
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> SSH2 Key: http://www.hex21.com/~binesh/binesh-ssh2.pub
> OpenSSH Key: http://www.hex21.com/~binesh/binesh-openssh.pub
> BubbleBabble = xibeb-voges-havez-pabaf-debop-cylil-lelyc-viruv-bygeg-zotoh-dixex
> Fingerprint = 9d:7c:84:5d:80:e3:65:8d:ee:9e:a3:b9:56:0a:e9:ad
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> SSH1 Key: http://www.hex21.com/~binesh/binesh-ssh1.pub
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> Decrypt with CipherSaber2 N=256, Password="WelcomeJedi!" (No quotes)
>
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> iD8DBQFCJsdftC/nHH/DrZYRAmIBAJ4rDfCl5gtTMcElrbP5JR2FueqX1ACgnEdB
> Ml0k8ifJKO4hldhfcp4kCKM=
> =PLfj
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It is my understanding that Monarch butterflys acquire some of the
toxins from the milkweed they feed on. This causes the bad taste. To
the best of my knowledge, Monarch butterflys do not create any toxins or
other chemicals that affect their taste.