Plants coexist with other organisms by communicating with each other and changing the type and quantity of BVOCs they emit in response to environmental changes and damage. We have clarified how BVOCs affect interactions between organisms such as trees, herbs, and insects. However, when considered on a global scale, the climate and types of trees distributed vastly differ. Therefore, the interactions between BVOCs and the climate must be different, and there was a need to scale up the effects.

Thus, we will measure BVOCs in predominant forest types at a wide range of latitudes, from Hokkaido to Southeast Asian tropical forests, and clarify the actual state of BVOC-mediated interactions between organisms. First, we will investigate communication within and between forest constituent tree species in semi-field and natural forests, including insect communities, damage levels, soil microbiota, and fine root networks. Next, we will analyze the gene expression and epigenome levels to examine the extent and duration of BVOC influence on biological interactions. Conversely, we will clarify BVOC production by analyzing the systematic signals of tree species and ecological factors on the quantity and composition of BVOCs. By integrating the obtained results with global-scale tree distribution maps and soil maps, we can estimate the global quantity and composition of BVOCs emitted from trees. Additionally, we will provide input this data into climate models. Through this, we aim to estimate the actual state of BVOC-mediated interactions between organisms, changes in the quantity of BVOC released due to interactions between organisms, and the global quantity of BVOC released.