MSGID: 1:317/3 6440c04a   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Nature's chefs: Scientists propose food-making as means of understanding   
   species interactions    
      
     Date:   
         April 19, 2023   
     Source:   
         North Carolina State University   
     Summary:   
         An interdisciplinary group of researchers is proposing a new way to   
         think of some interactions between species, classifying a variety   
         of plants, animals and fungi as 'nature's chefs.' Specifically,   
         nature's chefs are organisms that provide food -- or the illusion of   
         food -- to other organisms. The concept offers a new perspective on   
         species interactions, which can inform how people think about food   
         across the tree of life as well as disparate research disciplines.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   An interdisciplinary group of researchers is proposing a new way to think   
   of some interactions between species, classifying a variety of plants,   
   animals and fungi as "nature's chefs." Specifically, nature's chefs   
   are organisms that provide food -- or the illusion of food -- to other   
   organisms. The concept offers a new perspective on species interactions,   
   which can inform how people think about food across the tree of life as   
   well as disparate research disciplines.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   "There are many ways of classifying species interactions," says   
   Brad Taylor, corresponding author of a paper on the new concept and   
   an associate professor of applied ecology at North Carolina State   
   University. "Mutualists interact with other species to both of their   
   benefit. Parasites rely on other species, but the other species doesn't   
   benefit. Predators devour other species. But the 'nature's chef'   
   concept spans members of all of these groups, with the common factor   
   being that the relevant interactions all rely on food -- or the lure   
   of food."  "The genesis of the idea for nature's chefs occurred at an   
   interdisciplinary gathering when, in response to an explanation of the   
   evolution of fruits, a chef uttered 'You mean to say, fruits are nature's   
   chefs,'" says coauthor Rob Dunn, a professor of applied ecology at NC   
   State. "This seed of an idea led us to review and synthesize what is   
   known about food preparation and sharing across the animal, plant and   
   fungal kingdoms."  The research team ultimately outlined three ways   
   that species can produce or prepare food for other organisms: as food,   
   as drinks or as food-like lures.   
      
   Nature's chefs sometimes prepare food for other organisms of the same   
   species, such as the nuptial food gifts that some species use to attract   
   mates. For example, male cockroaches prepare a nuptial food gift for   
   females that constitutes an important nitrogen source for the female   
   and her eggs.   
      
   "Though it may seem odd, or even repulsive, to use cockroaches and chefs   
   in the same sentence, a romantic dinner for two might be closest to the   
   outcome sought by many of nature's chefs," says Taylor.   
      
   Nature's chefs may also prepare food for organisms of different species,   
   such as the fruit many plants produce to attract animals to disperse   
   their seeds.   
      
   "It's also worth noting that nature's chefs include humans, and there are   
   striking similarities between human and nonhuman chefs," Taylor says. "For   
   example, human chefs use the attractive plating of food or billboards   
   to attract diners, whereas evolutionary processes have led plants to   
   use flowers as an  for their nectar."  The nature's chefs concept also   
   distinguishes between organisms that produce "honest meals" versus   
   organisms that produce "deceptive meals," such as lures or food mimics.   
      
   Fruit is a good example of an honest meal -- animals (including humans)   
   are able to consume and benefit from the sweet or starchy fleshy material   
   surrounding the seed. Plants, meanwhile, benefit when animals consume   
   or defecate the seed away from the parent plant, thereby reducing   
   inbreeding, competition, predation, and parasitism that can be higher   
   near the parent plant.   
      
   Snapping turtles, on the other hand, are an example of species that   
   use food mimics to deceive would-be diners. The tongue of the snapping   
   turtle has an appendage that closely resembles an aquatic worm. The fake   
   worm attracts organisms that eat worms to the snapping turtle's mouth,   
   making them prey for the turtle. In the context of nature's chefs this   
   is a predator-prey interaction influenced by one species, the chef,   
   preparing a deceptive meal to obtain its food.   
      
   Discussions among research team members from disparate disciplines led   
   to several discoveries that reinforced the concept of nature's chefs,   
   especially regarding similarities to human chefs.   
      
   "For example, chefs and ecologists were fascinated that both human and   
   nonhuman chefs change the viscosity of liquids to appeal to different   
   diners," Taylor says. "Likewise, nature's chefs, human and nonhuman,   
   alter the density of foods to attract diners."  The researchers also   
   identified several research questions to explore in the future. For   
   example, how does the availability of local or seasonal ingredients   
   affect the behavior of nature's chefs? We know that humans, and some   
   plants and fungi, warm food as part of meal preparation. How common   
   is that? Why are there so few fruits that smell or taste like meat?   
   The researchers are hopeful the nature's chefs concept will stimulate   
   further discussion, learning, and innovation among a diverse group of   
   people interested in food, drink, and food-like mimics.   
      
   "Nature's chefs can provide another way to organize our spectacularly   
   diverse world and also a way to bring people together from disparate   
   disciplines to make new discoveries," says Taylor.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Plants_&_Animals   
                   # Nature # New_Species # Food   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Ecology # Exotic_Species # Rainforests   
             o Fossils_&_Ruins   
                   # Evolution # Human_Evolution # Early_Humans   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Animal o Food_chain o Biology o Genetics o Soil_life o   
             Plant_sexuality o Plant o Species   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   North_Carolina_State_University. Original written by Matt Shipman. Note:   
   Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Brad W Taylor, Bradley Allf, Skylar R Hopkins, Rebecca E Irwin,   
      Michelle   
         Jewell, Omer Nevo, Lauren M Nichols, Nabila Rodri'guez Valero'n,   
         Joshua D Evans, Pia M So"rensen, Robert R Dunn. Nature's chefs:   
         Uniting the hidden diversity of food making and preparing species   
         across the tree of life.   
      
         BioScience, 2023; DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad026   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230419125100.htm   
      
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