The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-Water Antarctic Marine Invertebrates in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

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This research project is an interdisciplinary study to identify and to quantify biological chemicals that affect ecological relationships among benthic antarctic marine invertebrates. This research is a continuation of a program that succeeded in documenting a moderate incidence of chemical influence on ecological relationships in polar communities, contrary to contemporary theory that suggests an inverse relationship between latitude and incidence of chemical defense. This project extends the scope of that earlier study by addressing the chemical nature of defensive agents. The objectives are to isolate and to characterize biologically active chemicals from previously identified invertebrates with chemical defense mechanisms. The goals are to evaluate the role of these chemicals as feeding deterrents, anti-fouling agents or overgrowth inhibitory chemicals, to determine the biological origin of these chemical metabolites, and to examine the storage of defensive agents in specific tissues or mucus. Ecologically significant bioassays will guide the analytical isolation and characterization of identified defense metabolites. The proposed research will enhance our understanding and significance of defense metabolites in the ecology of antarctic marine benthos, a changing paradigm.