Floral volatile organic compounds: Between attraction and deterrence of visitors under global change

Plants produce and emit a large variety of volatile organic compounds that play key roles in interactions with abiotic and biotic environments. One of these roles is the attraction of animals (mainly insects) that act as vectors of pollen to ensure reproduction. Here we update the current knowledge of four key aspects of floral emissions: (1) the relative importance and interaction of olfactory signals and visual cues, (2) the spatial and temporal patterns of emission in flowers, (3) the attractive and defensive functions of floral volatiles and their interference, and (4) the effects of global change on floral emissions and plant–pollinator interactions. Finally, we propose future lines of research in this field that need to be addressed or investigated further.