A large and diverse number of marine organisms accumulate a remarkable diversity of toxic halogenated organic compounds. However, neither the ecological roles nor biosynthetic controls of these compounds are well understood and this is especially true for organisms other than molluscs and sponges (poriferan taxa). This project involves a synoptic study of the benthic enteropneust, Saccoglossus kowalevskyi, which will establish some of the key environmental and genetic factors which regulate patterns of haloorganic accumulation in these organisms, and provide new insights on the effects of toxic haloorganics on microorganisms and biogeochemical processes in marine sediments. Saccoglossus kowalevskyi is ideally suited for this work since: 1) it is a common component of the intertidal macrofauna; 2) many aspects of its biology (e.g., feeding, digestion, reproduction, excretion) are well characterized; 3) it has a significant impact on freshly- deposited organic matter in the intertidal zone. In addition, this research will help establish a model for secondary product accumulation that differs from currently accepted models based on studies of molluscs and sponges.
