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

该研究项目是一项跨学科的研究， 量化影响生态的生物化学物质， 底栖无脊椎动物之间的关系。 这 研究是一个成功的计划的延续， 记录了中等程度的化学影响， 极地群落的生态关系， 当代理论认为， 化学防御的纬度和发生率。 该项目延伸 通过讨论化学性质 防御性特工。 目标是隔离和 表征生物活性化学品， 发现了具有化学防御机制的无脊椎动物。 的 目标是评估这些化学品作为饲料的作用， 阻聚剂、防污剂或抑制过度生长的化学品， 为了确定这些化学代谢物的生物来源， 并检查特定组织中防御剂的储存 或粘液。 具有重大意义的生物测定将指导 识别防御的分析隔离和表征 代谢物。 拟议的研究将增进我们对 防御代谢产物在昆虫生态学中的意义 海洋底栖生物，一个不断变化的范例。

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.