Plant chemistry and food web health

Plants are systemically relevant to our planet not only by constituting a major part of its biomass, but also because they produce a vast diversity of bioactive phytochemicals. These compounds often modulate interactions between plants and the environment, and can have substantial effects on plant consumers and their health. By taking a food web perspective, we highlight the role of bioactive phytochemicals in linking soils, plants, animals and humans and discuss their contributions to systems health. The analysis of connections among food web components revealed an underexplored potential of phytochemicals to optimize food web health and productivity.

Automated summary

Plant bioactive compounds play a crucial role in linking soils, plants, animals, and humans within food webs, impacting the relationships and health of these organisms. By analyzing connections among food web components, the potential of phytochemicals to optimize food web health and productivity is revealed.