title: Effects of kelp phenolic compounds on the feeding-associated mobility of the herbivore snail Tegula tridentata.
abstract: Tegula tridentata, is a common herbivore gastropod inhabiting the subtidal Lessonia trabeculata kelp forest, which tends to show higher densities after kelp harvesting. We investigated if harvested kelp beds may harbor higher densities of herbivore invertebrates, and the underlying mechanisms. Thus, we evaluated if the exudates of L. trabeculata change the seawater levels of soluble phenols, known to have a deterrent effect against the feeding behavior of some herbivore invertebrates. Finally we investigated whether the increase in T. tridentata densities in harvested kelp grounds could be related to a decrease in the seawater levels of soluble phenols. Our results showed that the density of invertebrate herbivores increased up to 32% in harvested kelp grounds. We provide the first estimate of the rate of phenolic exudation by L. trabeculata, and we demonstrate that T. tridentata changes its food dependent movement in the presence of exudates with synthetic phloroglucinol. We suggest that the recovery of harvested kelp ecosystems can be jeopardized by increased herbivory triggered by water-borne changes in the levels of herbivore deterrent compounds.
authors.affiliation: EMBC, Biology Department (WE11), Ghent University, Marine Biology Research Group, Krijgslaan 281/S8, Belgium; Center for Marine Conservation, Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago de Chile, Chile. Electronic address: mariana.mrpereira90@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Algas (CIDTA), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile. Electronic address: ftala@ucn.cl.
authors.forename: Fadia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tala
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Conservation, Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago de Chile, Chile. Electronic address: mfernandez@bio.puc.cl.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Conservation, Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago de Chile, Chile. Electronic address: mdsubida@bio.puc.cl.
authors.forename: Maria Dulce
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Subida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002633:Chemotaxis; D002677:Chile; D020387:Food Chain; D009043:Motor Activity; D000459:Phaeophyceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D010696:Phloroglucinol / Q000378:metabolism; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012623:Seawater / Q000032:analysis; D012908:Snails / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; D010696:Phloroglucinol
keywords: Community composition; Ecosystem disturbance; Effects-community; Herbivory; Kelp harvesting; Lessonia trabeculata