Influence of Algal Secondary Metabolites on Plankton Community Structure

Department of Bioorganic Analytics, Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat, Lessing Strasse 8, 07743 Jena, Germany, e-mail Georg.Pohnert uni-jena.de 

Amsler (ed.), Algal Chemical Ecology. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2008 

A one-page essay in which it is suggested that evolution in plankton is driven by a watery arms race has attracted much attention (Smetacek 2001). Smetacek discusses the concept that defence of phytoplankton by mechanical protection, increased cell size, formation of spines, or production of noxious chemicals leads to the adaptation of zooplankton to these measures. This process resulted in the shape and properties of phyto- and zooplankton that we observe today. In the years following that essay several candidate molecules were discovered and intensely studied. The concept that chemical signals and defence metabolites are important factors in plankton ecology has now become widely accepted. 

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Influence of Algal Secondary Metabolites on Plankton Community Structure... 

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