Small Polar Molecules: A Challenge in Marine Chemical Ecology

Marine chemical ecology.

This review covers the recent marine chemical ecology literature for phytoplankton, macroalgae, sponges and other benthic invertebrates; 249 references are cited.

Chemical Ecology of Marine Bacteria and Algae

Marine Chemical Ecology: A Science Born of Scuba

For more than 50 years, organic chemists have been interested in the novel chemical structures and biological activities of marine natural products, which are organic compounds that can be used for chemical defense and chemical communication by diverse marine organisms. Chemical ecology, the study of the natural ecological functions of these compounds, is an interdisciplinary field involving ch...

Marine chemical ecology: chemical signals and cues structure marine populations, communities, and ecosystems.

Chemical cues constitute much of the language of life in the sea. Our understanding of biotic interactions and their effects on marine ecosystems will advance more rapidly if this language is studied and understood. Here, I review how chemical cues regulate critical aspects of the behavior of marine organisms from bacteria to phytoplankton to benthic invertebrates and water column fishes. These...

Marine chemical ecology: what’s known and what’s next?

In this review, I summarize recent developments in marine chemical ecology and suggest additional studies that should be especially productive. Direct tests in both the field and laboratory show that secondary metabohtes commonly function as defenses against consumers. However, some metabolites also diminish fouling, inhibit competitors or microbial pathogens, and serve as gamete attractants; t...