SBC LTER: Reef: Defenses of macroalgae and effects on epifaunal larvae

Larvae of the solitary ascidian, Ciona
robusta, were placed in petri dishes with various
species of macroalgae from the Santa Barbara Channel, and larval
survival to settlement was assessed. The total phenolic contents
(indicative of defensive chemicals) of the algae species were also
measured, and a correlation between larval survival and phenolic
content investigated. Experiments took place in Spring and Summer
2024. Data are contained in two tables: 1) larval survival in
control treatments (not exposed to algae), 2) larval survival in
treatment dishes (exposed to algae) as well as phenolic content of
each macroalgae individual tested.