CHEMICAL ECOLOGY IN A PEDAGOGICAL INTERVENTION PROJECT: CHEMICAL MECHANISMS OF INSECT - PLANT INTERACTION

Abstract

Chemical Ecology is a field of study that investigates the secondary compounds produced by plants and insects, which are essential for their ecological interactions. The coevolution between these organisms is characterized by complex chemical communication, mediated by intraspecific pheromones and interspecific allelochemicals. Furthermore, these compounds also play a role in inducing defense responses in plants, affecting tritrophic interactions. Understanding these interactions is crucial for the development of effective management and conservation strategies to protect terrestrial ecosystems. The general objective of this work was to investigate the chemical mechanisms of interaction between insects and plants in a pedagogical intervention project in chemical ecology, aiming to understand these interactions and their environmental impacts. This project unfolded into three specific objectives: identifying the main chemical compounds in these interactions through a literature review, evaluating the impact of pedagogical activities on students' understanding using questionnaires before and after the activities, and analyzing the results to verify the effectiveness of the strategies used and their contribution to the participants' understanding of insect-plant interaction mechanisms. The work adopts a qualitative approach, seeking to understand social and human phenomena, with methodological flexibility for adaptations as needed for the study. Classified as exploratory research, it aims at familiarizing with the problem and generating insights for more in-depth investigations. Bibliographic research was used to theoretically support the study and promote changes in the studied reality. The intervention project included activities such as presentations, questionnaires, extraction and identification of chemical compounds, culminating in the analysis of responses to assess the impact.