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.