Chemical ecologists study the interplay of natural chemical compounds and ecological factors. Our particular field of interest is the influence of abiotic factors (e.g. season, radiation, temperature) on plant secondary metabolites. Besides being of interest to unravel ecological functions of secondary metabolites for the ecology of the plants producing them, these studies provide important clues on how precisely to grow medicinal plants in order to get plants with high yields of bioactive compounds. Growing conditions for vegetables can also be better specified to result in optimal contents of desirable health beneficial secondary metabolites and low yields of secondary metabolites which adversely affect the taste of these vegetables.