Chemistry is a key trait mediating plant-animal interactions, but while much is known about the chemical ecology of herbivore defenses, the influence of chemistry on plant-animal mutualisms is often overlooked. This organized oral session focuses on three key plant-animal mutualisms, pollination, seed dispersal and indirect defenses, to illustrate the importance of chemistry in species interactions. The selected speakers use a range of experimental and analytical approaches in their studies including insect bioassays, standard chromatography methods and advanced molecular techniques, all effective at addressing the chemical components of their experiments. By gathering together experts with such a broad range of perspectives, this series of talks will bridge significant gaps in our understanding of how chemistry drives the ecology and evolution of plant-animal mutualisms. The goal of this session is to convey not only the importance of considering chemistry when disentangling plant-animal mutualisms, but also to persuade our peers that chemical ecology techniques can be integrated with relative ease into more traditional ecological studies. Ultimately, we hope that to improve ‘chemical literacy’ among ecologists and encourage interdisciplinary approaches to the study of species interactions in general.