Species-specific metabolomic profiles of coral reef coralline algae and their influence on the larval settlement of corals and crown-of-thorns starfish.

ABSTRACT: To address a significant knowledge gap in chemical ecology underpinning larval settlement processes on coral reefs, we examined the tissue-associated metabolomes using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy across 14 species of crustose coralline red algae (CCA) and one non-coralline calcareous red alga collected from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. We further explored the relationship between algal metabolites and the settlement success of fifteen reef-building coral species across five families, as well as a key coral predator, the crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS; Acanthaster cf. solaris). We found that algal metabolomes are highly variable and differ among species, phylogenetic lineages, and reef habitats, highlighting the combined influence of evolutionary history and environm

SUBMITTER: Diaz-Pulido G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12770573 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature