Chemically Mediated Interactions in a Sedimentary Assemblage

不同物种间联系的化学调解 营养水平是生态系统的一个重要特征。 这一提议考察了一个沉积群落， 中等营养水平的生物产生毒素， 影响较高和较低的营养水平。 分泌物 多毛类蠕虫Notomastus lobatus毒素一溴苯酚 进入沉积物被假设影响活动， 微生物群落的组成，底栖动物的补充， 以及沉积物捕食者的捕食/干扰。 实验提出了检查的剂量反应， 功能群和细菌的总群落， 一溴苯酚，化感物质抑制幼虫附着 底栖动物和成虫活动以及捕食者之间的关系 活性对沉积物中一溴苯酚的存在。

Chemical mediation of linkages among species at different trophic levels is an important characteristic of ecosystems. This proposal examines a sedimentary community dominated at middle trophic levels by organisms which produce toxins that influence higher and lower trophic levels. The exudation of the toxin monobromophenol by the polychaete worm Notomastus lobatus into the sediment is hypothesized to influence the activity and composition of the microbial community, recruitment of infauna, and predation/disturbance by sediment feeding predators. Experiments are proposed which examine the dose response of functional groups and the total community of bacteria to monobromophenol, allelochemical inhibition of larval settlement and adult activity of infauna, and the relationship of predator activity to the presence of monobromophenol in the sediment.