Plants can't move; they are sitting ducks waiting to be eaten by a wide variety of insects, mammals, and fungi. However, plants have evolved a remarkable set of strategies to protect themselves against these attackers. Plants can also warn each other about impending danger. In this presentation, we will discuss how plants use physical structures, like thorns, and chemical compounds, like caffeine, to defend against herbivores and pathogens. 

Presenter bio: Dr. Dorothy Christopher is a biology professor at Western Connecticut State University, where she teaches courses on plant ecology and evolution. Dorothy's research focuses on plant-pollinator interactions, with particular attention to how these critical relationships are affected by climate change.

This program is supported by the Friends of the Cheshire Public Library and Cheshire Pollinator Pathway, thanks to a generous grant from the Petit Family Foundation.