Chemical ecology in the Antarctic benthos

Abstract

Ballesteros, M., Núñez-Pons, L., Vázquez, J., Cristobo, F.J., Taboada, S., Figuerola, B., Avila. C. (2011). Chemical ecology in the Antarctic benthos. Ecosistemas 20(1):54-68

The study of the relationships between organisms mediated by chemicals (chemical ecology) can provide valuable information about the biology of the species, their role within the community and our knowledge of new molecules potentially useful to human beings. Within our ECOQUIM Project (2003-2006), we collected many biological samples that allowed us to obtain extracts and bioactive natural products from Antarctic benthic invertebrates. During the ACTIQUIM Project (2007 and on) the ecological activities of the marine natural products obtained have been determined by in situ chemical ecology experiments (repellence, defence, toxicity, cytotoxicity and antifouling). Also, the pharmacological potential has been analyzed by testing the antitumoral activity of selected compounds recently described. Our results show that chemical defences are abundant in Antarctic sponges, cnidarians, echinoderms, bryozoans, tunicates and mollusks, and that these zoological groups can be considered as a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites of importance both in ecology and in pharmacology.