%0 Journal Article
%T Structuring effects of chemicals from the sea fan Phyllogorgia dilatata on benthic communities
%A Bernardo A.P. da Gama
%A Felipe V. Ribeiro
%A Renato C. Pereira
%J Archive of "PeerJ".
%D 2017
%R 10.7717/peerj.3186
%X Despite advances in understanding the ecological functions of secondary metabolites from marine organisms, there has been little focus on the influence of chemically-defended species at the community level. Several compounds have been isolated from the gorgonian octocoral Phyllogorgia dilatata, a conspicuous species that forms dense canopies on rocky reefs of northern Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Manipulative experiments were performed to study: (1) the effects of live colonies of P. dilatata (physical presence and chemistry) on recruitment of sympatric benthic organisms; (2) the allelopathic effects of its chemicals on competitors; and (3) chemotactic responses of the non-indigenous brittle star, Ophiothela mirabilis. Early establishment of benthic species was influenced on substrates around live P. dilatata colonies and some effects could be attributed to the gorgonian¡¯s secondary metabolites.In addition, the gorgonian chemicals also exerted an allelopathic effect on the sympatric zoanthid Palythoa caribaeorum, and positive chemotaxis upon O. mirabilis. These results indicate multiple ecological roles of a chemically-defended gorgonian on settlement, sympatric competitors, and non-indigenous species
%K Secondary metabolites
%K Phyllogorgia dilatata
%K Gorgonian
%K Marine chemical ecology
%K Octocoral
%K Allelopathy
%K Community effects
%K Benthic ecology
%K Rocky reefs
%U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5382925/