Terrestrial studies of chemically mediated plant-herbivore interactions have contributed significantly to the discovery and development of biotechnological applications for plant natural products. While our understanding of marine chemical ecology has developed more slowly, recent collaborations between ecologist and chemists have been very productive and produced well designed studies revealing the ecological and evolutionary importance of chemically mediated interactions between marine organisms. An increased understanding of the ecology and evolution of these chemically mediated interactions in marine communities should help build an ecologically-based framework for rationally approaching the biotechnological development of marine natural product. This fellowship work by Dr. Lindquist will investigate the intraspecific variations in seaweed defenses, biotic and abiotic factors producing thee variations and how variations in chemical defenses interact with other defensive mechanisms. Additionally, since the chemical data base for ascidians is not nearly as extensive as that of marine algae and no published studies have experimentally addressed potential adaptive roles for ascidian secondary metabolites, further studies will make an evaluation of ascidian metabolites as (1) feeding deterrents to generalist predators, (2) antifouling agents, (3) aids in spatial competition, (4) larval survival mechanisms and (5) a dynamic defense capable of being modified to minimize adverse affects from changing environmental stresses as the animals mature. These potential roles are suggested for ascidian secondary metabolites by preliminary experimental data and extensive ecological observations.
